The Academy of Food and Wine is running a regular series of updates catching up with the stars of BBC2’s Michel Roux’s Service as they make their way within the hospitality industry. We caught up with Nikkita Palphreyman, 20, currently working in a restaurant in Derby.
“I’ve recently started working at Mango Tang in Derby, were I live, doing a few nights a week waitressing and behind the bar. It’s been really hard since we finished filming last year, as we weren’t allowed to mention the show (or the experience we’d gained on Michel Roux’s Service) until it actually screened, which made job-hunting difficult.
I’m really keen to work in the industry but there’s nothing much in the local area. Although I’ve had offers distance has often meant that I’d be spending my wages on getting to and from work, so I haven’t taken up those roles. There seems to be more opportunities in and around London but again it’s the problem of affording somewhere to live so that I can work – it’s been incredibly frustrating.
I’m hoping to attend a Wine and Spirit Education Trust course in April, as I’m really interested in the sommelier route as well as waitressing.”
