Settling into life in Edinburgh!

Few weeks into placement, I’m starting to get settled in, the accommodation is nice. Living in a quiet suburban area of Edinburgh called Gilmerton which takes 30-45 minutes to get into the city centre travelling by bus.

I am beginning to have an idea on the types of duties to be done while on placement, from getting breakfast prep along with various banqueting, canteen, and BABA prep when I finish all the breakfast prep as I start at 8am and finish at 4pm while the other breakfast chefs start at 5-6am and finish around 2pm which I have no problem with.

One morning I was asked to do come in at 7am and finish at 3pm, this was for my first breakfast service which I felt nervous about as I didn’t do breakfast service before but once I got in, I got into the swing of things as it was mainly Porridge, Pancakes and Eggs Benedict, Florentine, and Royale. I learned that Royale was with smoked salmon, Florentine was with Spinach, and Benedict was with Ham.

Since I completed that one morning of service, I felt better about myself as I felt good after doing it once and I’d help on service, and I now know what goes with certain breakfast meals including room service which is often Full Scottish Breakfast and Porridge & pancakes.

Few weeks pass by, and I have been counting the weeks for my family coming over to visit from Ireland for the midterm. Kitchen staff has been informed about that and I have informed that I was going to meet them in The Garden Bar when I finish work, because I was getting on with everyone and been working hard over the past few weeks. Jim the Banqueting chef that I often give a hand doing various prep for functions and making the coffee when needed, prepared a special afternoon tea for them before I showed them the main attractions in Edinburgh and surprisingly booked myself a room in the IBIS hotel along South Bridge as I told them about the time it would take for me to commute to and from the city centre if I stayed in my accommodation.

While we were having the afternoon tea, we got greeted by all the management team including my Sous chef Agustin within complimenting me to my family and telling them how I’m getting on in the hotel. We were also given a few recommendations of tourist attractions

from the General Manager Kieran Quinn before heading into the city and to drop my bag into the hotel they were staying in before going for some dinner around The Royal Mile.

The next day we went to see the Royal Yacht Britannia as one of the recommendations we were given for tourist attractions to go and see as well as going on a whiskey tour to Johnnie Walker the following day as the weather wasn’t good but was still an enjoyable experience which included 2 free drinks at the end of the tour. When the tour was finished, we got some food before heading to the airport, had a coffee there and after the coffee. We parted as I went back to the city centre while my parents flew home. The time flew by during their visit!

I feel I am getting on well in Edinburgh and now feel confident heading around knowing where the main parts of Edinburgh. I feel I’m starting to enjoy Edinburgh and I would be happy to live there when I finish the degree!

All the best,

Oscar Fitzgerald