The Food Box, the break away from home offices
Restaurants are open, curfew is gone, South Africa is healing; but I still plan to work from home. When this way of the world began, whole families were working and teaching school, whereas now I can be relieved that the younger ones of my family are off at school these days. While everyone is still celebrating the concept of working from home, this has been my reality long before lockdown was a consideration. So I’m ready and happy to say it - I’ve been bored.
Every day, cooking. Every day, making coffee (or waiting for my dad to make it). It’s enough. Breaking the monotony of a work day has never been more valuable to me. The question of job satisfaction is always one to note when speaking on matters related to any career, but it’s fair to say that location will impact your job satisfaction and overall performance.
Last week, I asked my following about where the new work friendly spaces were in Johannesburg. Since the lockdown, it’s not surprising that some of my old jaunts have shut down and new ones have cropped up all over the city. There were a few suggestions that I’ve since added onto my list of places to see, but the one I decided on was The Food Box. Funny enough, I’d seen a few people comment on the place during my many hours of TikTok scrolling (don’t judge, I’m working on getting offline more).
From what I could tell online, the place was also a work-friendly spot, so I packed my chargers and an extension cord (just in case) to head off to Hyde Park. On arrival, and it seems as a norm and standard for years to come, I was greeted by a sanitizer container. What was different was seeing two men clad in black suits…security. For a restaurant vibe, this is surprising, but welcome in a way.
The seating differed between long tables and individual tables, the different restaurants, which they call pods, were in a semi-circle set up. At a mall with fast food joints, I’d call this a food court, but I’ve never known a food court with quality food, a wine bar, and free wifi. Maybe one or two of those elements, but never all three. More so, I’ve never known a food court with dedicated security. More than that, each pod seemed to want to share some type of story through their food. That’s definitely not what I’d find at a food court.
While I was there, I had a gourmet burger from Santana, tacos from Orinoco, and a latte from Mrs Waffles. I completed my written work, sent off a few emails, and even stopped by the Waltons next door for some retail therapy (stationary makes me happy).
Will I be at The Food Box every day? No. Artisanal food comes at a cost and I don’t live close enough to justify that cost. But I am particularly jealous of the folks who live or work in the nearby apartments and offices of Hyde Park. What I do expect, however, is that The Food Box is my new go-to spot to work away from home.