--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I told the caterer I'd work for nothing…" description: "\"I told the caterer I'd work for nothing if he'd teach me about catering. I lasted one week full-time. It was exhausting.\" — Diane Mott Davidson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a2/diane-mott-davidson-25959_about_i-told-the-caterer-i-d-work-for-nothing_142176.png" --- # I told the caterer I'd work for nothing if he'd teach me… ![“I told the caterer I'd work for nothing if he'd teach me about catering. I lasted one week full-time. It was exhausting.” quote by Diane Mott Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a2/diane-mott-davidson-25959_about_i-told-the-caterer-i-d-work-for-nothing_142176.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a2/diane-mott-davidson-25959_about_i-told-the-caterer-i-d-work-for-nothing_142176.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a2/diane-mott-davidson-25959_about_i-told-the-caterer-i-d-work-for-nothing_142176.png) > “I told the caterer I'd work for nothing if he'd teach me about catering. I lasted one week full-time. It was exhausting.” [Diane Mott Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-mott-davidson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Offering free labor for learning can be exhausting and unsustainable. **In simple terms:** Free work for learning can be draining. Key Takeaway Seek fair compensation. Themes learning labor fairness Mood candid practical Type advice critical When to use this quote - internships - skill acquisition - mentorship Key Concepts economics career development Questions to Reflect On - When is unpaid experience justified? - How to negotiate fair terms? A Different Perspective Unpaid work may exploit workers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [About](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) [Caterer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caterer-1604358/) [Caterer Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caterer-work-1604357/) [Catering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catering/) [Catering Lasted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catering-lasted-1604355/) [Exhausting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exhausting/) [Full-time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/full-time/) [He](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/he/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Lasted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lasted/) [Me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/me/) [Nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nothing/) [Teach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teach/) [Teach Catering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teach-catering-1604359/) [Told Caterer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/told-caterer-1604356/) [Week](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/week/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Worked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worked/) ## Related quotes > [After I outlined 'Catering to Nobody,' I went and worked for a caterer. And the other thing I had to do was to talk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-mott-davidson/after-i-outlined-catering-to-nobody-i-went-and-worked-for-a-caterer/) [Diane Mott Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-mott-davidson/) > [Catering is extremely demanding financially and physically. It's a business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-mott-davidson/catering-is-extremely-demanding-financially-and-physically-it-s-a/) [Diane Mott Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-mott-davidson/) > [I'm a caterer, interior decorator - a lot of hobbies people don't know I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cam-ron/i-m-a-caterer-interior-decorator-a-lot-of-hobbies-people-don-t-know-i/) [Cam'ron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cam-ron/) > [The little birds have God for their caterer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes/the-little-birds-have-god-for-their-caterer/) [Miguel de Cervantes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes/) > [Its so boring to just hire a fancy caterer and have them do everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-miller/its-so-boring-to-just-hire-a-fancy-caterer-and-have-them-do-everything/) [Nicole Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-miller/) > [TABLE D'HOTE, n. A caterer's thrifty concession to the universal passion for irresponsibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/table-d-hote-n-a-caterer-s-thrifty-concession-to-the-universal/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [It's so boring to just hire a fancy caterer and have them do everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-miller/it-s-so-boring-to-just-hire-a-fancy-caterer-and-have-them-do/) [Nicole Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-miller/) > [If I had a caterer that lived at home, it would be fabulous!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darcey-bussell/if-i-had-a-caterer-that-lived-at-home-it-would-be-fabulous/) [Darcey Bussell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darcey-bussell/) > [I never was a caterer, but I did deliver pizzas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-scott/i-never-was-a-caterer-but-i-did-deliver-pizzas/) [Adam Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-scott/) > [“on…fuck, where the hell were his eyes? Not on my face and definitely not on the oblivious man who was still going to town…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloane-kennedy/on-fuck-where-the-hell-were-his-eyes-not-on-my-face-and-definitely/) [Sloane Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloane-kennedy/) > [I'm not a caterer. I just have to stay with my creative convictions. At some point, you have to just get past the special-interest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-howard/i-m-not-a-caterer-i-just-have-to-stay-with-my-creative-convictions-at/) [Ron Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-howard/) > [We're making a commercial Hindi film catering to all types of audiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjay-dutt/we-re-making-a-commercial-hindi-film-catering-to-all-types-of/) [Sanjay Dutt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjay-dutt/) > [I love to cook. I'd have a dinner party, and someone would be like, 'Can you do this at my house?' So my catering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meta-golding/i-love-to-cook-i-d-have-a-dinner-party-and-someone-would-be-like-can/) [Meta Golding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meta-golding/) > [I wanted to help my sister, Latoya, because she's an awesome cook. She's one of the best culinary people I've ever met. She makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickie-james/i-wanted-to-help-my-sister-latoya-because-she-s-an-awesome-cook-she-s/) [Mickie James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickie-james/) > [For all the concern about bodies and weight, 'Baywatch' has three huge catering trucks on the set at all times. One for entrees, one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-eggert/for-all-the-concern-about-bodies-and-weight-baywatch-has-three-huge/) [Nicole Eggert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-eggert/) ## More by Diane Mott Davidson > [One thing that improved my cooking skills was being a poor student in California... If you don't have much money, you have to learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-mott-davidson/one-thing-that-improved-my-cooking-skills-was-being-a-poor-student-in/) [Diane Mott Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-mott-davidson/) > [“Sometimes you have to fight fire with a blowtorch”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-mott-davidson/sometimes-you-have-to-fight-fire-with-a-blowtorch/) [Diane Mott Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-mott-davidson/) > [In a mystery, the sleuth must be believably involved and emotionally invested in solving the crime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-mott-davidson/in-a-mystery-the-sleuth-must-be-believably-involved-and-emotionally/) [Diane Mott Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-mott-davidson/) > [After I outlined 'Catering to Nobody,' I went and worked for a caterer. And the other thing I had to do was to talk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-mott-davidson/after-i-outlined-catering-to-nobody-i-went-and-worked-for-a-caterer/) [Diane Mott Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-mott-davidson/) > [What one's goal should be is just to become a better writer and to tell different kinds of stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-mott-davidson/what-one-s-goal-should-be-is-just-to-become-a-better-writer-and-to/) [Diane Mott Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-mott-davidson/) > [When I make a recipe for the first time and it's fabulous, I know I'm in trouble because I don't know exactly what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-mott-davidson/when-i-make-a-recipe-for-the-first-time-and-it-s-fabulous-i-know-i-m/) [Diane Mott Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-mott-davidson/) > [“What a gift to have a son.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-mott-davidson/what-a-gift-to-have-a-son/) [Diane Mott Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-mott-davidson/) > [The main thing I look for in a recipe is taste, which is different from caterers and restaurants, who first ask 'How does it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-mott-davidson/the-main-thing-i-look-for-in-a-recipe-is-taste-which-is-different/) [Diane Mott Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-mott-davidson/) > [I write in the morning - and then I'm always experimenting and tasting recipes for the books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-mott-davidson/i-write-in-the-morning-and-then-i-m-always-experimenting-and-tasting/) [Diane Mott Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-mott-davidson/) > [Writing is work and cooking is relaxing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-mott-davidson/writing-is-work-and-cooking-is-relaxing/) [Diane Mott Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-mott-davidson/) > [“Hunger makes the best sauce,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-mott-davidson/hunger-makes-the-best-sauce/) [Diane Mott Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-mott-davidson/) > [I like cream cheese in just about anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-mott-davidson/i-like-cream-cheese-in-just-about-anything/) [Diane Mott Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-mott-davidson/) > [“You can't buy what you want. It all comes as a gift.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-mott-davidson/you-can-t-buy-what-you-want-it-all-comes-as-a-gift/) [Diane Mott Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-mott-davidson/) > [“One down a joyless, undecorated corridor to a long, windowed room that resembled the day room of a hospital. The guard opened the door…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-mott-davidson/one-down-a-joyless-undecorated-corridor-to-a-long-windowed-room-that/) [Diane Mott Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-mott-davidson/) > [Catering is extremely demanding financially and physically. It's a business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-mott-davidson/catering-is-extremely-demanding-financially-and-physically-it-s-a/) [Diane Mott Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-mott-davidson/) [Explore all 22 Diane Mott Davidson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-mott-davidson/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) [Browse all 26,122 About quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I told the caterer I'd work for nothing if he'd teach me about catering. I lasted one week full-time. It was exhausting.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Diane Mott Davidson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-mott-davidson/i-told-the-caterer-i-d-work-for-nothing-if-he-d-teach-me-about/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "About" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-mott-davidson/i-told-the-caterer-i-d-work-for-nothing-if-he-d-teach-me-about/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a2/diane-mott-davidson-25959_about_i-told-the-caterer-i-d-work-for-nothing_142176.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a2/diane-mott-davidson-25959_about_i-told-the-caterer-i-d-work-for-nothing_142176.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a2/diane-mott-davidson-25959_about_i-told-the-caterer-i-d-work-for-nothing_142176.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I told the caterer I'd work for nothing if he'd teach me about catering. I lasted one week full-time. It was…” — Diane Mott Davidson", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Diane Mott Davidson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-mott-davidson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I told the caterer I'd work...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-mott-davidson/i-told-the-caterer-i-d-work-for-nothing-if-he-d-teach-me-about/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-mott-davidson/i-told-the-caterer-i-d-work-for-nothing-if-he-d-teach-me-about/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```