Server Not Servant

Introduction

#WalkingBoston – A Marathon in Every Boston Neighborhood: Roslindale Part 2

Book Chapter: Introduction

Posted: 08/29/2024

Welcome to #WalkingBoston. To learn about the inspiration, mission, goals, and updates, please see the #WalkingBoston launch blog post.

The total official, verified distance of the first 16 Boston walks in Eastie, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain, South End, Chinatown, Leather District, DTX, Financial District, North End, West End + Waterfront, Beacon Hill (including the Common and Public Garden), Roxbury, and Roslindale Part 1 = 211.95 miles. Almost every walk is a minimum of a half marathon, 13.1 miles and is verified using the MapMyWalk app. A full marathon will be covered in each neighborhood that is large enough, and small neighborhoods are combined. The goal for the entire mission is to cover at least 1,000 miles. ‘Bonus Walks,’ like the Harbor Islands, Night Walks on main streets, Urban Wilds, and destinations I missed (please tell me) will be included after walking every Boston neighborhood.

The #WalkingBoston journey continues on Friday, 8/30/24. Breakfast and map review begin at 7:15 at Harry’s All American at 1420 Centre Street in Rozzie. All are welcome to join, even just for breakfast or a portion of the walk. The weather looks tremendous, sunny with a high of 73, according to Chris Lambert at 7News Boston…

And, more importantly a LOW dew point at 50, says Cindy Fitzgibbon at WCVB Boston:

Contact me at patrick@servernotservant.com or text/call 617-510-5682 to meet up. Here is the western portion of Roslindale that we will be exploring:

[Please Note: A post-walk summary, reflections, distance, and pics/videos from this walk will be added to the end of this blog post.]

As always, please send me ‘must see’ sights from the map above, including ‘hidden gems,’ art, nature, parks, murals, fountains, history, architecture, Mom & Pop #SmallBiz, etc. I love getting suggestions in advance to include while mapping out the walks. The course will be finalized on Thursday, 8/29/2224. Please email patrick@servernotservant.com or comment at the end of this post with specific, ‘can’t miss’ suggestions.

If inspired by #WalkingBoston, please consider a donation to Stride for Stride, a partner of #WalkingBoston. Stride for Stride is a non-profit running organization that buys race bibs for immigrant, BIPOC, and low-income runners – the goal is to make races more accessible, inclusive, and diverse for everyone. Stride for Stride founder, Tom OKeefe, aka @BostonTweet, “Our logo signifies equality. It’s simple, bold, and shows that you support running for all. Our goal is a simple concept too, but one that changes lives. Having a race to strive for keeps you focused and healthy, while crossing the finish line is pure joy and empowering in both sport and life – it proves that you can accomplish anything you set your mind to. Never give up!”

To celebrate my February birthday, I dedicated a blog post to raise money for Stride for Stride after Jorge Rosales donated a kidney to save SFS founder, Tom O’Keefe’s life: ‘Life and Death,’ hero, and badass are often overused exaggerations. None of those terms are embellishment when describing the evolution of the relationship between Tom O’Keefe and Jorge Rosales. Tom provided Jorge an opportunity with Stride for Stride. And Jorge saved Tom’s life. That’s badass!! And how that came to be is an amazing, awe-inspiring story. Please read the full story here.

Donations inspired by #WalkingBoston can be made to Stride for Stride by clicking here.

Now that I have a completed more than 7 marathons, I’m in the process of seeking sponsorships and collaborations with local companies and individuals, and I’m wide open to all creative ideas to raise money. Donations to Stride for Stride are tax deductible.

Lastly, folks have also reached out asking how they could sponsor/support my #WalkingBoston mission and expedite the publication of my #ServerNotServant book advocating for service industry workers and fellow humans. A grassroots fundraiser has been set up to keep me walking and writing. Donations can be made here.

Please remember to check back after the 8/30 walk for reflections on the day, along with a photo album in chronological order of the trek. Thank you to everyone following, supporting, and sharing the multiple missions of #WalkingBoston – A Marathon in Every Boston Neighborhood. I hope to see you on the road…

Cheers-Patrick

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Extremely Challenging Hospitality Jobs: Shout-out to Boston’s Neptune Oyster Host/Servers

Book Chapter: Human-to-Human Service

Posted: 03/23/2019

Challenge to all readers.

The pic below is just a small snapshot of the frenetic, stressful world of the dual role of host/server, Jes, at Neptune Oyster, one of Boston’s best and busiest restaurants on Friday night.

Jes did an awesome job adding new parties to the long wait list, waiting on tables, calling folks (on the phone) when their table was ready, keeping the peace, and providing excellent service and hospitality with a very positive attitude and presence. Game face executed perfectly.

Neptune is a small restaurant that is perpetually busy with only a tiny waiting area by the door. The host/server role is extremely demanding, requiring confidence, hustle, awareness, speed, efficiency, compassion, and firmness.

The challenge of this post is to identify some of the most difficult hospitality jobs you’ve witnessed, and an opportunity to give a shout-out to the workers who execute them.

Cheers to Jess, Jeff, Matt, Johnny, Ann, Haley, and the entire Neptune team celebrating their 15-year anniversary in November. And order the johnnycake…

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Inspiration

Book Chapter: Introduction

Posted: 02/14/2012

It’s an interesting proposition to be confronted with the question, What inspires you? Stephen Torres, founder of the growing website, Imbibe + Inspire, posed this question to me during a recent interview. Here are some of my answers that made it into the interview, and a few relevant inspirations that didn’t:

• Having a mission that I am deeply committed to, Server Not Servant.
• Hardworking, good people.
• The subculture and camaraderie of hardworking people.
• Human dynamics and observing humans.
• Hospitality, and everything it encompasses.
• The trust that workers have in me to share their experiences and feelings.
• Advocating for service industry workers.
• George Plimpton, participatory journalist, a.k.a., “The Paper Lion”.
• Studs Terkel, author of, Working: People Talk About What They Do All Day and How They Feel About What They Do.
• My late Dad, and his unwaivering work ethic (working 3 jobs to support a household of 12 people).
• My late Mom, her compassion, and ability to manage a household of 12 people with one bathroom…
• My loyal siblings, relatives and trusted friends.
• The late Maryanne Hooley.

Imbibe and Inspire interview.

 What inspires you?

Permalink | Posted in Introduction | 4 Comments »

“Without Illegal Aliens, There is No Restaurant Business”

Book Chapter: Human-to-Human Service

Posted: 12/28/2010

That’s a pretty bold statement made by Phanton Gourmet on facebook.

A firestorm was ignited when a recent front page Boston Globe story reported that Upper Crust Pizza, a rapidly-growing local chain, hired and exploited illegal immigrant workers from Brazil.

According to the Globe:

The promise of a job at an Upper Crust shop, passed by word of mouth from one villager to the next, offered the possibility of wages unheard of in Marilac [Brazil], a community of 4,140 people in the mountains of southeastern Brazil.

Over the past decade, dozens of men from Marilac have made the 7,500-mile trek, risking arrest, deportation, and in rare cases, death. And Upper Crust, founded by Sharon [MA] native Jordan Tobins in 2001, welcomed them.

Tobins needed lots of kitchen help; the Brazilians worked hard and didn’t complain about workweeks that routinely stretched to 80 hours. Marilac prospered as Upper Crust’s immigrant employees sent thousands of dollars home, and the company swiftly expanded from its original store in Beacon Hill to one upscale suburb after another.

Over time, however, this amicable but unlawful relationship would unravel. Documents from a recent class action lawsuit show that as Tobins expanded his pizza empire, he began to exploit his immigrant workers. The employees took their complaints to the US Department of Labor, which ordered the chain to dole out hundreds of thousands of dollars in back pay. The department is now investigating wage violations at Upper Crust for a second time.

As always, comments in response to the Globe report, as well as on a related Boston Yelp Talk thread exploded with hundreds of missives ranging from the typical anonymous hate and vitriol to some very thoughtful and insightful observations.

In the midst of Sunday night’s blizzard, the debate continued on facebook after The Phantom Gourmet posted the following:

Let’s name restaurants that deliver. I’ll start: Upper Crust Pizza.

What really got my attention was a comment made by Phantom Gourmet during the exchange of comments within the thread following the post:

Phantom Gourmet: I’m sorry to tell everyone, but without illegal aliens, there is no restaurant business. Hurting this company, or any other company, is not what our state needs right now.

In case Phantom Gourmet takes the post and related comments down, I have provided the comments in the order that they appeared:

Jimmy Machin: Didn’t Upper Crust just get busted for exploiting their workers?

Debbie Delia Fowle: Why is Phantom Gourmet assisting in advertising Upper Crust when they are under investigation for employment issues? I would think you would want to keep your distance until the end results come out

Bob Ullman: Exploitation of employees? Give me a break! If people are willing to work for X dollars an hour with no benefits then it’s their fault, not the employer. They are in a business, not a charity! I will second the vote for Upper Crust Pizza.

Phantom Gourmet: Bob, good for you, they have hundreds of employees and do a lot for charity and generate millions in tax revenue, I would think we would all be rooting for businesses to expand and hire. Plus, the pizza is really tasty.

Patrick Maguire: Yes, Bob, exploitation of their employees. Stop drinking the Kool Aid and read the full story. I don’t know anyone who supports or patronizes Upper Crust any more, even if they like their over-priced pizza.

Vincent Errichetti: Upper Crust broke no laws. The Boston Globe is just mad they didn’t buy advertising in their bankrupt news paper. BTW how does a bankrupt newspaper afford to send a reporter to South America???????

Lynn Boston: Anybody who hires illegals is part of the problem!!! I’ll never call the Upper Crust. Too many good pizza places out there who don’t break the law.

Phantom Gourmet: I’m sorry to tell everyone, but without illegal aliens, there is no restaurant business. Hurting this company, or any company, is not really what our state needs right now.

Patrick Maguire: “Upper Crust broke no laws.” Then why did they pay a 350K in back pay as ordered by the US Dept. of Labor? They are also defending a complaint from a former operations manager (7-yr. employee), the District Attorney’s Office and several other agencies. Take your head out of the sand.

Matthew Conley: Phantom is waaaaay off on supporting these scumbags. Please do not support these guys in any way. The excuse that “everyone does it” is no justification. Love PG but they are in the wrong keeping company with these clowns.

Patrick Maguire: “I’m sorry to tell everyone, but without illegal aliens, there is no restaurant business.” My hunch is that there are a lot of restaurant operators who would take exception to that statement.

Phantom Gourmet: Patrick, feel free to ask around, and get back to me. Of course, not every restaurant, but every restaurant will KNOW a restaurant.

Patrick Maguire: Phantom Gourmet- I’m working on a blog post about this that will include input from restaurant workers and operators. Please send me a message to let me know who I should be contacting to get official statements from the Phantom Gourmet responding to your comments in this thread. Thank you.

MC Slim JB: It is true that many restaurant hire undocumented workers. The issue with The Upper Crust is not in hiring them, but exploiting them. Caught doing it once, and now accused of continuing that pattern. We know they’re your sponsors, Phantom, but let’s not pretend folks don’t know that story.

Adam Castiglioni:  Dear Phantom Gourmet- When will you drop the Upper Crust as a sponsor of yours? I fear that your company may become part of the whole controversy surrounding them soon. There are so many other great pizza places that you could bring on as advertisers that may not exploit their workers.

Obviously there are a lot of loaded issues here. Everyone who is, or has previously been in the restaurant business, knows that ‘illegal’ immigrant workers have been part of the fabric of restaurants for a long, long time. The vast majority are great workers, great people and an integral part of many restaurant families.

Restaurateurs turned a blind eye to the issue, especially in urban areas and border states, for several decades because it’s a win-win for the restaurant and their employees.

However, with immigration a hot button topic today, many restaurateurs are starting to address the issue proactively. Some are taking steps to retain immigrant workers by offering English classes and sponsoring workers in pursuit of their permanent resident alien status (green cards). Additionally, owners and managers are more carefully vetting their employees, when previously they would accept documents that they knew were suspect at best.

These complex issues raise several questions for candid, thoughtful discussion for customers, restaurateurs, workers and even other American business owners:

1. How prevalent is the use of illegal or undocumented workers in the restaurant business in the United States today? How about other businesses?

2. Are there some restaurants or businesses that would fail without illegal or undocumented workers?

3. Are these workers taking jobs away from legal residents who want them? If not, should we remain quiet as long no one is being taken advantage of?

4. How prevalent is the exploitation of immigrant workers? Do you personally know of any workers who are being taken advantage of?

5. How thorough is your restaurant or business when it comes to verifying the legal status of prospective employees before hiring them? How well do companies follow up with required documentation after an employee is hired?

6. What are highly-ethical restaurants doing to address the issue of illegal workers? Are some restaurants screening, coaching, training and counseling employees to ensure compliance with immigration laws and citizenship requirements? Are any restaurants/businesses going above and beyond to retain valuable immigrant workers?

7. How true is the old adage that illegal immigrant workers are critical to the success of American restaurants or businesses because legal workers are not willing to do the same work for minimum wage, or the wages paid to the illegal workers?

8. At what point do you as a consumer, vendor or business partner sever your relationship with a restaurant or business because of ethical issues such as exploitation of workers? Do you have any specific examples?

I will not patronize Upper Crust Pizzeria because of the Department of Labor findings and the on-going investigations.

I invite everyone to join the conversation. Please keep your comments respectful and civil. As always, comments will be monitored before being approved. Thank you.

Permalink | Posted in Human-to-Human Service, Introduction | 36 Comments »

Merry Christmas from Boston

Book Chapter: Human-to-Human Service

Posted: 12/25/2010

Permalink | Posted in Human-to-Human Service, Introduction | 3 Comments »