Pangea

For the past year or so, I have spent nearly every Friday and Saturday night hostessing at Pangea in Shadyside. If you are unaware, this is a mostly upscale restaurant whose motto is “creative cuisine in the heart of Shadyside.” It is a beautiful restaurant with a unique décor and ambiance, and the executive chef is simply amazing at his work. Since working there I have tried all sorts of things I had never experienced before: homemade trenne ala Bolognese, fried calamari in a spicy-sweet chili glaze, and braised Elysian fields lamb osso bucco. Although I do not consider myself a particularly adventurous eater, there is nothing Ron cooks that I would not try! Although the food is undeniably delicious, there are issues with the staff at the restaurant. In the past year I have seen many servers come and go. In that time there have been three female servers, and probably a dozen male servers. This is interesting because the women who work there have stayed significantly longer—probably around 4 months more. Besides the front of house manager, I am the only female who has stayed longer than a year. Because I am not a server and spend most of the night standing near the door and reading for school, I am unaware of the more gendered aspects of work towards the servers. I have noticed, however, that males are more confident in their presentation. I notice the female servers at Pangea stumble over their words, apologize more frequently, and are generally more aware of their actions and presentation. This is perhaps detrimental to their tips as their efforts to be more presentable end up making them even more nervous. Is the reflective of cultural stereotypes in which women are taught to constantly self-monitor? Likely, yes. The males, conversely, seem to be more removed from their job; they are simply there performing a task and then they are done. They never seem frantic or particularly engaged. Likewise, because Pangea is privately owned and operated, they are very selective about the staff they hire. The servers are always attractive, Caucasian, and educated individuals. My feelings toward Pangea are confounding. Although I love the food and easy money, I disagree greatly with their often sexist views that give preference to men and their advancement.