Hi, I’m Julie Bryant. I call myself a “reluctant chef,” even though I’m not, what I consider, a legitimate chef. I never 
went to culinary school, but I do have a lot of experience in the restaurant world. Almost 40 years, to be exact. Yikes.
At age 13, I started working at Popeye’s Fried Chicken. My dad had just started up a franchise in the Central Florida area, and I was eager to help out. Back then it was a little easier to get a job if you were underage. I just needed a work permit and social security number, make sure not to work over 20 hours a week, and that was that.
I stayed at Popeye’s for 10 years, learning every crew position job, as well as being a trainer and a breakfast manager.
I pursued other “careers” at the same time, including tennis and work in video and film production. But, I always seemed to find my way back to the food industry.
Besides Popeye’s, I worked at several chain restaurants, including TGI Fridays, as a hostess and server, and the Olive Garden, where I spent nights in what I called the cashier’s cage (back in the days when there was an actual cashier).
I was always dreaming of ways to get out of the restaurant business, wanting to be my own boss, making money for myself, not others, and having a flexible schedule.
I sort of found that, while living in Charlottesville, VA. I was working as a personal assistant for a man, doing business and personal chores for him. He paid me pretty well, and I was able to do a lot of work from home, on my computer, still allowing me time to pursue some side projects, like writing, which I always had an interest in.
I had a good thing going for several years, then that came to a sudden end when my boss got cancer. He put in a good fight but it took over and sadly, he passed away.
Not sure what to do next, my parents suggested I come and live in their garage apartment at their property on the eastern shore of Maryland. I was not in a great state of mind, actually pretty depressed, over the recent turn of events, but I appreciated their offer and took it.
That’s how I ended up where I am now, but no longer in the garage apartment. I’m living in a small house on the same land, with my husband, Kevin, and West Highland White Terrier, Louie, across the water from the town of Oxford.
I was lucky to meet Kevin at one of the restaurants I worked at after moving here, as well as some other good friends. That was the main thing I enjoyed about the work. Meeting the different people and creating relationships with regular customers and special coworkers.
I learned a lot during my many years in the food world, about people, and, about business. Some lessons were not pretty, but, I appreciate them all, and hopefully, I know better now!
I still love cooking and dealing with food, just not as a job. Been there, done that. Now, I hope to share some of my experiences and mistakes, to help other restaurant workers, or at least, entertain with my stories.
Feel free to comment on any blog post, if you don’t agree with what I say, that’s fine. Or, if you want to share your own story, I’d love to hear it.
If you’d like to contact me in private, just click on the link.