Having enjoyed the shade of the Mango tree in ESC in the pre-Bristow days, the arrival of higher pay AND CLA can only be good.
As for the chop, whilst it was never haute cuisine in any form, brown meat and gravy was the usual fare plus salads, veg, dessert, juices, tea, coffee was probably better than some of the characters there did for themselves at home.
The cameraderie, or in some cases, the lack of it among colleagues was the most trying thing. It was bad eneough being there without having to look over your shoulder for potential smiling knives.