By Mike Finney

BEAR — Sometimes a change in direction can lead to successful results, at least that’s been the case with three former restaurant employees who made the transition to work on the other side of the food industry as drivers and warehouse employees for Dot Foods at the company’s distribution center in Bear.

It’s no secret that restaurant employees have been hit particularly hard throughout the COVID-19 pandemic for the past year-and-a-half due to restrictions that were put into place — such as capacity limits — in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Three of those who were hit the hardest have landed new roles at Dot Foods, the largest food industry redistributor in North America. The Bear distribution center opened in February of 2020, just before the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States.

Ed Jones had been a chef for 10 years, but he made the career transition in July 2020 after being laid off from his job due to the pandemic.

Mr. Jones now works as a regional delivery driver and a driver trainer for Dot Transportation Inc., developing and mentoring new employees.

He said he believes his experience as a chef has helped him to make the transition to driving a truck because he can identify the products Dot sells, which in turn helps him to better relate to customers. He said that the basic skills required of a chef are contributing factors to success as a driver.

“The two jobs run hand-in-hand,” Mr. Jones said. “If I’m throwing a party as a chef for hundreds of people, everything is in the preparation, then followed by the execution of the task. When someone is coming into the driving industry from the restaurant industry, they already have the execution and preparation part down.”

DTI driver Daemion Ferguson started his career in the restaurant industry more than 20 years ago as a pasta maker. He moved up the ranks to become a sous chef, then executive chef, and eventually became a general manager of a restaurant.

He started his driver training at Dot’s Williamsport, Maryland, location and moved to the Delaware location when it opened in February 2020.

Mr. Ferguson has now been with DTI for almost three years and was promoted to a driver trainer role nearly a year ago. He said the DTI driver training program is a great fit for him because he gets to coach, teach and develop people, just as he did when he worked in a restaurant.

“Driving is similar to creating a dish,” said Mr. Ferguson. “As a chef, you are creating the dish, you are making it, and sometimes you are actually taking it to the customers face-to-face. When I am delivering a load as a driver, I get to see the customer’s face light up when I bring the product. For me, that’s one of the most rewarding parts of the job.”

Omar Moustafa previously worked at his family’s diner before making the change to working in the Dot Foods warehouse two months ago.

“I was doing a lot of inventory in the restaurant,” Mr. Moustafa said. “It is cool to see where a lot of that inventory is coming from. And a lot of the customers Dot works with are distributors that I used to order from. It’s pretty cool getting to see it from the other side.”

All three of the employees that made the transition to Dot said their new roles have significantly contributed time to their schedule that allows them to pursue other passions and interests outside of their job.

“One of the best things about Dot is I’ve never heard of having three consecutive days off in any other company. I get to spend more time with my friends, work on side hustles and experience new things,” said Mr. Moustafa.

For Mr. Ferguson, his time as a driver has allowed him to continue using his skills in the kitchen, even though he is no longer working as a chef. He said he always cooks before his driving shift and takes the leftovers with him on the road.

“You can always cook at home. For me, driving is way more rewarding,” he said.

The career transition has brought financial security as well.

Mr. Jones said his raise in salary has allowed his family to pursue their lives without worry about facing financial challenges, while Mr. Ferguson’s wife has been able to stop working since last year because of his pay increase.

The trio agreed that one of the driving factors that keeps them with Dot Foods is the company culture and camaraderie among their fellow employees.

“Dot is definitely a friendly environment and a great atmosphere to be in,” Mr. Moustafa said. “We push each other and motivate one another to get the job done. I wake up and don’t dread going into work, and it’s my first time being in an environment like that.”

Dot Foods leadership said the company is continuously growing and looking for new talent to add to the Delaware distribution center, especially among those who have been hit the hardest during the pandemic.

The company is hiring for drivers, warehouse material handlers, operation clerks and sanitation workers at the Bear distribution center. DTI’s fleet-wide average salary for drivers is $92,000. For warehouse workers, Dot offers three- and four-day work schedules and competitive pay up to $24.25 per hour.

“We are striving to hire new employees as we work to meet the evolving demands of our growing company,” said Joe Little, general manager of the Bear distribution center. “We’re lucky to have bounced back from the pandemic quicker than expected, and now we need more talented people to join our team.

“You don’t have to have experience working in a warehouse or driving a truck. We will help you get the training you need to be successful here at Dot.”

Mr. Ferguson said, now that he looks back on it, he wishes he put his recipes and pots and pans away even earlier.

“My only regret is not coming to Dot sooner,” he said.