One of My First Jobs: Papa Gino's

Photo: Svadilfari/Flickr

This is the logo I remember from one of my first positions - at Papa Gino's. For me, this was the place I learned to cook al dente pasta and make hamburgers and different types of subs.  I worked for them for seven years. I was so good at my job I was promoted to Training Specialist.

The pizzas look the same to me.  They had good food, and when my family ordered takeout, they ordered it from Papa Gino's.

The dish of pasta is a picture from our present day Papa Gino's. I believe they still serve the Papa Platter - which is spaghetti or ziti combined with two cheese ravioli, a meatball and a side of toasted garlic bread.

This was the position where I learned to manage and train people. Often on Sundays I would run the lunch shift while the assistant and general manager were finishing up paperwork for the week. I would make sure we were all prepped for dinner. I learned the sandwich method from this company or the proper way to correct people. I also learned management should never yell at employees at the front counter and expect the employees to show up the next day for work. I had one assistant manager who was so desperate for employees at our restaurant he picked up two girls off the highway. They slept at the church and they were trying to pickup the customers when they when out to the dining room to straighten and clean up.

This is not my store, but this is what mine restaurant looked like. Unfortunately, at that time, no credit cards were accepted.

I still remember when Hurricane Gloria hit.When the power came on we had a 5-person crew on feeding the people who still didn't have electricity. I ran the register and helped serve. We had a line of people out the door.

There were no point systems when the employees received marks for tardiness. Everyone always showed up, and if they didn't show or call, they did not have a job. The most reliable people were the people who were getting an education.

When I worked here, I was always cooking, and deep in food. It was a stop along the way of my journey into the world of employment and discovery of food. I also learned a lot about my future career in marketing.

What was one of the first places you were employed where you discovered about food or cooking?

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