'Look for the small details'

How do you typically start your workday?
I head to the office first to read emails, or sometimes I do it directly in the restaurant, where I have one of the best views in town! I then greet my colleagues, have a double espresso macchiato and check the reservations for the day.
Describe your work in a sentence.
Constantly striving to exceed customer expectations in every way.
What is your favourite thing about your job?
Creating new things - from a customer experience to a mocktail. The same thing day in and day out bores me, and I always have this need to create something new. Since I have decided to spend my life in a restaurant, I need to make it fun for everyone.
What advice would you give your younger self, if you could?
It's all in the details! Always look for the small things which can enhance an experience as those little things make a big difference.
What has been your most challenging experience to date and how did you resolve it?
A few years ago, we were organising a wedding in the garden of a hotel. The night before the event, just when we finished part of the setup, it started pouring and the garden was flooded! We spent that night trying to figure out how we could salvage the disaster. After a few hours, we decided to use large pieces of chipboard to cover the whole area so that people attending the ceremony wouldn't have to stand on the mud. It was not an easy job but when the groom walked in the next day nearly in tears and then saw that the garden was still an option for the wedding, he gave us the biggest hugs. We were so proud!
How do you maintain a work-life balance?
I'm not too good in this regard, I admit! I should spend more time with my wife and son.
Any advice for youngsters just getting into the professional arena?
Aim higher than you think you could achieve. Never stop learning, be humble, strive for success and, most importantly, enjoy what you do.
A fictional character you think would make for a good role model - and why?
I think Remy from Ratatouille is a great fictional character that could inspire many children to step into the restaurant industry! He is probably the last person we would ever imagine working in a kitchen or being a chef as he is a rat and we are all disgusted by those unhealthy little creatures. However, Remy has the right attitude, doing anything in his power to become a chef and working with the cook Linguini to reach this goal. He proves that everyone can become a success if they have the right attitude, and that teamwork is always better than a one-man show.
What is your greatest dream, professionally?
To be part of the team that will open the first- ever restaurant on Mars.
- Staff reporter