OH, YOU'RE A HOSPITALITY WORKER? GET OUT.

A Restaurant Operator’s Guide to Continued Success

By Alex Munford

I’m sitting in my kitchen whilst writing the latest edition of my COMPLETELY MIND-MELTING newsletter!?

It’s never actually been described as that but maybe one day!

I’m actually sat watching my wife dye her hair - she’s super pregnant, again… little bundle of noise #5 incoming! She’s going from a sort of gingery, purpley stripy hair-do-thing to a more conservative brown. A little more mumsy, in the traditional sense.

But anyway, that’s sort of irrelevant and probably not why you’re reading this.

So why share it? Well, it’s got me thinking. Most of my musings come from staring at somebody whilst they perform the most mundane of tasks, which seems to get my brain switching to its creative mode! And there is nothing more mundane than dying hair!?

Except maybe cricket.

I remember the first time she introduced me to her family - as somebody who works in hospitality.

OH, THE HORROR!! Her dad had that look of somebody who always knew no-one would ever be good enough, but a hospitality worker!? I’m surprised he didn’t fetch a large wooden bat. The kind with pointy things sticking out of the end.

But why?

Why is being a hospitality professional, or more specifically in my case, a restaurant operator still frowned upon by the general public? Because, let’s face it. We are near the bottom of society's barrel.?

I find it infuriating! It used to genuinely hurt me to see the look on people’s faces when I spoke about what I did to support my family?

I even thought about lying and just telling them I do nothing and sponge off of old Uncle Sam, but never quite got to that point.?

Luckily, this was around the point when I realised that unless the person offering their disapproval was actually in the position I wished to be in then their opinions, thoughts, disapproval and general disgust were completely irrelevant.?

No congruence, no opinion. Period.

For many years this lack of respect for our incredible industry has played on my mind.?

People love us when they’re off on their jollies but suddenly hate us when we marry their daughters??

They love us when they are sitting in our restaurants experiencing impeccable service but despise us when they’re sons want to grow up to be a bartender?

Weird, right!?

BUT WHY?!?!

I think I know.

I believe it all starts with the low entry barrier.?

The way into many hospitality jobs in the past was to turn up and work harder than anybody else. And that was enough.

Did you need skills to start off? Not really

Want to be a server? Cool, take this dish over there, don’t drop it and smile. Can you manage that?

Piece of cake (HAHA get it?)

Anyway, perhaps this used to be the most common way into the industry, but I believe time has moved on.?

Nowadays, when I’m recruiting, I am looking for a personality. I don’t really mind what sort, but just as long as there is one there. An infectious laugh never goes amiss, but it’s not top of the list. I also look for an insatiable work ethic. Something that in my many years I have never successfully managed to teach.

Sure, you can persuade with either a dangly carrot or a massive stick, up to you, but if someone is fundamentally lazy… bye bye. Go be lazy on someone else’s payroll.

My point is, this low entry barrier - the lack of required college/degree education - doesn’t help, BUT in my opinion, it all changes once you’re in.

For example, my successful servers run a section of around 8 tables and I expect, AS A MINIMUM, the following

The ability to multitask, smile, work as a team, work independently, be organised and prepared, remember every ingredient in every dish and the same for the drinks. They must be able to solve problems on the fly, take feedback from peers as well as management, be positive and friendly in the face of some of the rudest people ever to grace the planet. They should be proactive in their learning, able to coach others and an all-round delight to have on site. They must know our company values & ethos as well as all of the steps of our service cycle in granular detail. They should be able to read body language to tell if a guest is too hot, cold, thirsty, or maybe just a little uncomfortable. They should be salespeople, promoters and the face of our business………. This list goes on and on

AND THOSE ARE MY ENTRY LEVEL TEAM!?

Don’t even get me started on the bartenders who know 7 million cocktail specs better than the guys who wrote them. Or the chefs who are able to deliver service to 500+ people per day without so much as a whimper! Or the managers who know all of that and more!!

I understand the barrier to get in is pretty low - but once you’re in, it’s a whole different story.?

On the whole (and, yes, here comes another sweeping generalisation…) hospitality workers are amongst the most talented I have ever had the pleasure to come across.?

They can do all of the above, and so, soooooo much more with the warmest welcomes and fondest farewells. The experiences that they create are so often taken for granted but sometimes beautifully unique and exquisitely tailored from the heart.

?From every KP through to every CEO, we are so proud to have some of the most talented people in the world working alongside us. As colleagues, advisors, mentors, mentees and friends.?

Sure, we don’t [usually] save lives. And maybe we aren’t changing the world.??

What we do offer differs for each guest.

Escapism, adventure or an maybe unforgettable experience?

That we can do.

So next time someone looks down at you for working in hospitality, just smile and remember, they simply do not understand the level of skill or depth of knowledge you truly possess.?

They’re not bad people, just uninformed. Perhaps, together, we can change that?

Anyway, her hair is complete aaaaaaaaaand VOILA, it looks exactly the same…

Ciao, x