This is only the second blog post that I have written and will, I expect, be my last. It is a topic that I think should be raised, but is a little harder for Flic to write about than it is for me.
On a regular basis, people will ask if the Jabberwocky is our business. We’re always proud to say that yes it is and the only members of the company are standing right in front of you. In the past we would regularly get people assuming that the company is more me than Flic or in the words of one customer weather I was the “Gaffer”. This would always wind Flic up as The Jabberwocky is a 50/50 effort (on my own The Jabberwocky would still be a fantasy). I might do more cooking than her, but lets be honest, if I was left to do all the writing, no-one would ever come to the blog and the website would have a lot more spelling mistakes than it currently does. It occurred to me than while we were lamenting the inherent sexism of many people, that there are others out there who get a much worse deal than Flic. Especially when it comes to getting credit, praise and pay in the Streetfood world.
With this in mind, this blog post goes out to all those people who make Streetfood possible without getting the credit. I am going to talk about 4 of them. I am sorry I can’t mention you all, and give you the kudos you deserve.
No 1 Cat and Donna
Here is Donna…I can’t find a picture of Cat
These 2 lovely ladies are the other halves of The Meat Shack and Low ‘n’ Slow. They both have proper-full-time-jobs and then spend their precious time off helping out on the stalls. So remember when you are down a Digbeth ordering your “meat inna bun” that the person taking your money, giving you your change and handing over your food has already done a full days’ work before getting starting in the Gazebo that night and has to pack everything away and do it all again tomorrow. Plus they don’t get paid for it.
No 2 James
James and Sai looking Glamourous
James in many ways is Donna/Cat but in the opposite sex (he is full time on Buddha Belly). However, even more so than with Meat Shack and Low n Slow Buddha Belly is referred to not as the company name, but as “Sai”. Even I have been known to use this shorthand and as such he deserves a special mention here. I know Sai does the cooking, but it isn’t possible to do this kind of business on your own. Plus even he admits; he is dam good with a scrubbing brush. On top of this James is at the receiving end of inverted racism thanks to the British public. If Sai isn’t visible people won’t buy from him because he has the wrong colour skin…I mean seriously?
Eva with Craig,s other wife
No 3 Eva
Everyone knows (and loves) the Hungry Toad and you could be forgiven for thinking that Robin and Craig are a couple, but that is not the entire truth. Behind the scenes is Eva, unlike the others you might never see her inside the Shack, but there are other jobs that need doing. Firstly she is married to Craig(rather her than me) not Robin. She again has a proper job and responsibilities, but she manages to do all the back stage work for the Toad as well as helping out with Scoff whenever she can (which is a lot).
Here I have mentioned just 4 of the people who make Streetfood possible, there are the other people to numerous to mention, from electricians, to event organisers or even accountants. Thanks to all of you, keep up the good work. We appreciate it even if no one else does!
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