The job coach has really changed my life

Our Chef de Partie Frank is a well-liked colleague who lights up company parties with his incredible dance moves and loves speeding down the highways on his motorcycle. And to think that at the start of his career, he was very shy. We interviewed him about his dreams, his job coach, and the quiet room he gets to design for Maritim Hotel Amsterdam.

“I was born in Bijlmer in a mixed community, but I have Ghanaian roots. I loved going to the Kwaku Festival for the soccer and all the delicious food. In the Bijlmer, your background didn’t matter. I studied Bread and Pastry at the ROC of Amsterdam, and my first job was at Bakery Jongejans in Reigersbos. After that, I ended up at DoubleTree by Hilton, where I worked with my current chef. During my first job interview, I was really nervous and didn’t know how to act. Fortunately, as the conversation went on, I could be more myself thanks to the comfortable atmosphere. In the beginning, I started with very simple tasks to help the kitchen team, like assembling boxes. I struggled with working with so many different people in such a large organization. But with the good guidance I received, I found my way. I gradually took on more tasks and gained more responsibilities. I learned a lot at DoubleTree, though I also worked there for quite a long time. I learned a lot from my previous chefs and became more confident. I did things I never would have dared to do before.”

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Luckily, I have a job coach

“Luckily, I have a job coach. This person helps me with everything related to work, but sometimes personal matters come up too. The coach helps you apply for jobs and keeps track of your tasks, together with your workplace supervisor. The job coach has really changed my life. I was very nervous and shy during interviews, but I got many great tips. The coach even comes along to interviews, which is really helpful. Anyone struggling with job applications should give this a try. It helped me overcome a major hurdle. At Maritim Hotel Amsterdam, I will be working as Chef de Partie. This is a kitchen term that means you can handle every department in the kitchen. But soon, I will be doing even more than just kitchen work, as I’ll spend most of my time in the Stores and Stewarding departments. I’m part of the team that ensures everything the hotel needs is available, which involves a lot. It requires a lot of logistics and planning, and I’ve learned that from Chef Paul. The atmosphere at Maritim is great because everyone tries not to just stick to their own teams. I’ve always been a social person, but because I didn’t always feel at ease, I handled things differently back then."

My biggest hobby is dancing

"I’ve been doing it since I was 16. It’s a great way for me to release energy. It makes me feel good, and it makes me happy. My biggest dream is to dance in an American hip-hop video, like one by Chris Brown. Another dream is to become a MotoGP race driver. I love riding motorcycles. I hope we can one day host an event at our hotel from Kawasaki, Yamaha, or Honda. Or maybe an event from World of Dance, where all my hobbies would come together.”

My biggest dream is to dance in an American hip-hop video

Quiet please!

“We’re currently setting up a quiet room in the hotel. It’s a space for anyone who needs a moment for themselves. I have looked into what would be a suitable space and I get to help with designing it. It’s important to have such a room because there are so many stimuli during a workday. It’s nice to have a place where you can take a moment for yourself. I’d love to hang a sandbag there so you can blow off steam. And a good headset, so you can listen to calming meditation, for example. In ten years, I’d like to become a Back-of-House Manager. That means you organize everything that happens behind the scenes in a hotel. But most importantly, I want to live a long and healthy life with my future family. I’d really like to become a father and ride motorcycles a lot.”

Text: Vincent van Dijk / pictures Lissy Witte