There are three classes on board a cruise ship: officers, staff and crew. First two classes can eat in almost every dining venue on cruise ship. The third class –crew are allowed to eat only in crew mess, however this doesn’t mean that this class eats bad even if the food in crew mess is disaster. I believe that this class eats even better than officers and staff. 

Once you realize how bad is the food in crew mess you start with a search for alternative. One is the staff or officers mess where you can find some better quality food. You just take the food from staff/officers mess and go to crew mess to enjoy it, since you are not allowed to eat in this messes. Just you need to be careful if the F&B or Restaurant manager or some other tow stripes SAPO is watching you. After two months you will be fed-up with the food from staff/officers mess and next level is the main galley or lido.  Waiters and Assistant waiters benefit most from this, since they are in direct contact with the food. There is an old saying that you need to try the food before recommending it to the guest, so the enjoyment is mutual. Waiters on cruise ship can write a book of how to pinch food and some of them are quite amazing. I remember when you serve filet mignon in the main dining room almost every waiter orders two extra, one for him and one for his assistant. There are frequent controls by Assistant Restaurant Managers or by the Restaurant Manager but they can’t find waiters secret places where they hide the food. One story I heard is hiding stake by putting the filet on steak knife and place the knife bellow guest table that is not used. Another way is placing the fillet in a plastic glove and then put it in a coffee cup. When I was working with one waiter from Croatia he use to eat all courses together with the guest. His secret was that he ordered extra courses from appetizer, soup main course and desert so while guests where eating hi was eating his course while passing from rotating door to the dish washer. He was a big guy and fast eater so he finished his food just on time to place the dirty dishes in the dish washer and then he was going for the next course. 

Now ultimate pinching food follows this rule ‘Hot food needs to stay hot, Cold food needs to stay cold.”  There is nothing worse than eating good steak cold or dry. This can be achieved by knowing every place in the galley and pantry and perfect timing.

Here is the list how waiter can have perfect dining experience: 

In order to have hot main course you need to order it at the second seating or if there is an open seating when your last guests arrive (never order when you don’t have guest because the chef can check on you and you will get BANANA : ) Place the food in the bread trolley and you will have hot food at the end of your shift. One more thing if you have for lunch or dinner pasta keep it in same place wrapped with aluminum foil so the pasta doesn’t get dry, you can add little bit of water. For deserts or ice-cream you can place it in the pantry fridge for milk and half & half. I love ice-cream but every time I finish the ice-cream is melted so this is the best place to keep it nice and cold. One very risky way is cooking your own food in the galley when it is closed. What I like to do is order my steak rear and after all cooks are gone I finish my steak on the grill or make some soup. If you get caught doing this you will get warning for sure.

Plastic gloves are waiters best friends on cruise ship because you can place in them from omelet, fried eggs, steak, sandwich from the grill or pizza and of course good steak.

Bartenders or bar waiters have also good connections with the galley following the rule if you scratch my back I'll scratch yours. I believe this explains everything.

Housekeeping department is doing similar mafia by ordering food from room service and instead of the guests they enjoy the food.

Aldo some crew members prefer to enjoy their food in their cabins and probably this is the place not to get caught I like to enjoy my food in crew mess or in some special occasions on crew open deck.

What can I say at the end except Bon Appetite and be careful :  ) Text by ex crew member