Ethnography of Soup Kitchen - Essay Example

The area turned out to be dissimilar in different aspects ranging from the physical appearance to the level of professionalism incorporated. In the situation such as that of the soup kitchen, there are elements of favour-seekers, lawbreakers and the corrupt. Hence, all these form the broader category of the opportunistic members of the society. The society presents a conventional culture stipulating favour to the visitors. The situation is real when the group enters the House of Bread for the research.

As earlier proposed by one of the group members, the people at the restaurant are perceived as welcoming. The researchers are accorded profound priority of accessing the critical section of the kitchen and performing the serving tasks. This aspect concurs with the typical human psychology with a lurking intention of seeking generosity perception on the recipient of favour. The scenario at the cafeteria upholds the family culture, but not necessarily related to each. There is a group of persons who seem familiar to each other, yet they come from different locations.

These individuals form particular types of families as a result of meeting at the House of Bread. The situation is ordinary among people since they are social beings, and their frequent meetings at this institution allow them to understand each better because they have common interests. These groups would always segregate themselves from other people who do not belong to their inner circles to embrace their preferences. Concerning the authority in the soup kitchen, the rules are notably relaxed due to the weaknesses attributed to by the enforcers.

The staff members and the volunteers opted to act as the overseers of the processes in the soup kitchen, yet they manifest numerous facets of irresponsibility. They are the authority figures of the establishment and run the entire show, although the kitchen’s rules are remarkably relaxed and beneficial towards the guests. Nonetheless, there is an understanding that guests are the most fundamental group that is worth the considerations by the soup kitchen authority. The House of Bread regards the guests as their employers and act at their favour in the hotel.

In the assessment, it was noticed that there is evident favouritism at the benefit of the guests. Most of the guests were served according to their wishes. For instance, at the coffee serving point, the maximum number of scoops was three, yet many guests would prefer four or five and the patrons are reluctant to restrict the actions. Imperatively, there exists another breed among the House of Bread users who have the full knowledge of the kitchen processes and the staff implying that they were regular visitors.

This scenario is common in a normal society for its completion. The hidden motive of this group is to seek favour of the House of Bread formalities. Conclusion The research incorporated assumptions derived by notions concerning the House of Bread cafeteria. Eventually, there was a conflict of presumptions’ with reality. The study disapproved the thought that the institution was a food bank that only helped the unprivileged members of the society. The study led to the understanding that the institution is meant for every individuals.

When the researchers reach the cafeteria, they realize that the place accommodates everyone in spite of age, religion or social class. There was also an initial assumption that volunteers will be optimistic because working in the cafeteria