Workdays and Weekends: Joseph Whiteman

This week we catch up with Joseph Whiteman from the Glassrooms cafe at Perth Concert Hall. Not only does he serve up tasty food and drink, he is also partial to taking centre stage to belt out a few songs, act and dance - even having a starring role in New Jersey Nights on the big stage in America!!

From enjoying a pint in the Abbotsford to singing for the actual Queen, Joseph is the perfect example that there's no business quite like show business! 

1. What does a typical day at work look like for you?

My typical day at work begins with setting up the cafe ready for morning and lunch service, making sure the cafe is well stocked with tea, coffee, milk and napkins.  I take customers orders for coffee and food.  I make coffees and serve food from the kitchen to their tables. At the end of a typical day I will either clean up the cafe or set up pre-concert dinner service.  

2. What signals the start of your weekend / days off?

Usually a longer lie in bed.  Then a walk with the dog up Craigie Hill or round the South Inch.

3. What makes for a perfect night in? 

A couple of cold beers and a packet of crisps with my girlfriend, my dog and a good movie.  

4. What makes for a memorable day or night out?

I love live music, and good food. Also I am happiest when with a group of friends.  I also love visiting new places.  

5. Tell us about the weekend you’d love to live again?

While living in America, my partner and I stayed at a beautiful log cabin on Beaver Lake in Arkansas.  It was one of the most relaxing and wonderful weekends of my life, with some incredibly beautiful sights.  

6. And now your best ever day at work?

Since working at the concert hall I would say most of my days have been full of laughter and fun, but my “Best ever day at work” will probably have been in my previous employment, singing in a theatre in the USA. I would say my best ever day was opening night of the first show I sang in.  After learning the show in a rather stressful week I went on to sing in front of hundreds of people, not sure whether the crowd was going to like me.  Thankfully it went well and gave me an incredible buzz. I also sang for the Queen at the opening of Aberdeen University, that was pretty amazing.

7. Any workday or weekend rituals?

I enjoy a sit down with a cup of tea.  I recently bought some wonderful loose leaf tea from The Bean Shop in town and it has been going down a treat! I enjoy a pot of this while listening to music or a good audio-book.  

8. What’s in the perfect day off breakfast?

I bake my own bread, so sometimes I just enjoy a slice of this with butter.  However I would be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy a good fry up now and again  My favourite is scrambled eggs, in fact any kind of eggs will do, I love eggs!   Also I treat myself with a visit to the “Weigh-in”  now and again for a lorne and tattie scone roll.

9. Any words of wisdom for us?

One of my lecturers during my undergraduate degree said one of the best things during a rehearsal for an upcoming concert.  He was very old and extremely well respected in the musical community in Aberdeen.  During the rehearsal something went wrong and his words of wisdom were: “I didn’t get to where I am today by NOT making mistakes.”

It is a fairly simple piece of advice, MAKE mistakes and allow yourselves to learn from them.  Mistakes help us all grow. 

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Joseph is a Catering Assistant at The Glassrooms Cafe at Perth Concert Hall. Find out more on their directory listing HERE >>>