“Ramadaan hero” Polly Parolus started her new job at Spur in Vangate Mall yesterday.
The Bonteheuwel woman was proud to announce that her days of waitressing are over, as she is now being trained as a cook at the halaal restaurant.
The mom of three was fired from Franky’s Diner in Sea Point two weeks ago after asking a Muslim man to take off his fez before entering the non-halaal restaurant.
Polly, 46, said she made the suggestion out of respect for the Muslim holy month, and didn’t feel it was right for the college student and his friends to enter with their salaah tops and scarves.
But Nabeel Padeker and his three friends took offence and caused a big stink on Twitter, complaining that Polly had “discriminated” against them.
Her bosses then apologised to the customers on the restaurant’s Facebook page.
They then let the waitress, with 18 years experience under her belt, go, as she was still a “waitress in training at Franky’s”.
Polly was asked to tell her story on Radio 786, and when Golden Feather Spur’s big boss heard her plight, he promptly offered her a job.
Liaket Sonday was in Mauritius when he listened to the program via audio streaming on the internet.
He called his manager Samantha Voget and told her to get Polly on board.
Samantha tells Daily Voice: “Mr Sonday called us from Mauritius and said we must get Polly to come and work here. We were not surprised at all, because he is a generous man. It’s her first day, but we hope she does well.”
Daily Voice visited Polly at her new job, and was surprised to find her not taking orders, but cooking up a storm in the kombuis under the watchful eyes of kitchen manager Lawrence Lathe.
A delighted Polly says she was welcomed with open arms by the staff.
“This is new to me and it is such a blessing that I am able to work again,” she says.
“I never wanted to embarrass anyone, I just remind them what an important month this is for all Muslims.
“I don’t have the words to say how grateful I am, but I will prove my commitment by giving this job all I have.”