UKUZIMISELA emsebenzini kumenze wathola isikhundla esimenza afunde okuningi ngokupheka, owesifazane osefisa ukungena ebhizinisini.
UNksz Octavia Smangele Mngomezulu (43), uyiSous Chef eMfolozi Hotel, Casino and Convention Resort eMpangeni. Ngesikhathi eqala umsebenzi wokupheka wayengazi lutho ngalo mkhakha kodwa abaqashi bakhe babona ikhono bamnika ithuba. Okumenza avelele kuleli hhotela ukuthi usebenza eduze kompheki omkhulu, uMnuz Raymond Mhlanga oyi-Executive Chef. Lokhu kusho ukuthi uma engekho uMhlanga, uNkk Mngomezulu nguye obamba isikhundla sakhe.
“Ngaqala ukusebenza endaweni yokudlela iGrill Fish, eRichards Bay ngo-2005. Ngaleso sikhathi ngangiziphekela nje ngingazi lutho olutheni. Kwasiza ukuthi ngangivele nginalo uthando lokupheka kodwa ngazi lokhu kudla okuphekwa emakhaya,” kuchaza uNksz Mngomezulu.
Uthe ngesikhathi eqala ukusebenza eRichards Bay, wayegxile ekwenzeni izidlo ezingama-starter kuphela. Abaphathi bakhe babona uthando analo ekuphekeni, bamnika ithuba lokuthi abe ngumpheki ngokugcwele. Yilapho aqala khona ukufunda ezinye izidlo, enza nama-platter. Akuphelanga sikhathi wathola umsebenzi eMfolozi nakhona epheka.
“Ngafika eMfolozi ngo-Okthoba 2005 lingekho ihhotela kodwa kuseyizindawo zokudla nje. Ngo-2010 ngafaka isicelo sokuba yiSous Chef ngaqashwa ngokugcwele,” kusho yena.
UNksz Mngomezulu uthe umsebenzi usumkhulu kunangesikhathi efika eMfolozi njengoba sekunehhotela. Uthe nezinga selenyukile okusho ukuthi sebepheka nokudla okukwelinye izinga. Akujabulelayo ukuthi ukuqashwa ehhotela kumenze wafundiswa kabanzi ngokupheka, wathola nezitifiketi. Uthe useqeqeshwe emikhakheni eminingi ethinta ukupheka, wafundiswa nekhompyutha. Yize umsebenzi wakhe usemabhodweni, uthe luyadingeka ulwazi lwekhompyutha. Uveze ukuthi kumele abhale kwikhompyutha uma efaka ama-oda, abuye ahlele nokusebenza kwabanye ozakwabo uma engekho umpheki omkhulu. Echaza ngomsebenzi wakhe, uthe udinga isineke nothando ngoba kwesinye isikhathi akuphunyulwa.
“Kumele ube nenhlonipho futhi ubathande abantu uma ungumpheki. Uma ungenalo uthando lokupheka ngeke ulunge ngoba kuyafukuzwa. Kuleli hhotela kunezindawo ezahlukene ekwenziwelwa kuzo imicimbi. Zonke lezi zindawo ziphekelwa yithina, kuyenzeka sipheke izidlo ezahlukene zabantu abangaphezu kuka- 1 000 ngosuku,” kusho yena.
Uthe umsebenzi mningi kakhulu ngezikhathi zamaholidi ngenxa yezivakashi. Nokho kuyamjabulisa ukuzwa amakhasimende encoma ukudla okuphekwe uyena.
Ngenxa yokuhlala esemabhodweni ugcina engasakuthandi kahle ukudla. UNksz Mngomezulu usanda kuthweswa iziqu zeSocial Work e-Unisa ngoMeyi. Uthe isifiso sakhe ukwenza ibhizinisi lokupheka eceleni bese egxila ekubeni usonhlalakahle.