Leading Stories

CHEFS FOR STARTERS

Oberoi, Shangri-La and Mandarin Oriental have more in common than Asian roots, timeless luxury and dazzling new ocean front properties. Each is blessed with at least one GM whose first calling was the kitchen. Leader spotlights those who know their food -- Sjefke Jansen in Mauritius, Adrian Rudin in Abu Dhabi and Gerd Knaust in Sanya -- migrants all to the Executive Office.

Sjefke Jansen is General Manager of The Oberoi Mauritius, the perfect hideaway amidst twenty acres of sub-tropical gardens. The beach stretches a third of a mile; villas have private swimming pools and pavilions gaze into the Indian Ocean. In 2009, the resort was named Mauritius’ Leading Hotel at the World Travel Awards.

I joined the hospitality industry because I had a passion for food and hosting guests. Growing up, our home was always the meeting point for friends and family. Their favourite gathering place was the kitchen, where my parents would cook up a storm while I laid the table and served the delicious food and wine. Enjoying good food in good company was the most important aspect of daily life.

Kitchen glory

The system of education in my native Germany is slightly different and you finish school first before you start with a three-year training programme in a hotel or restaurant. I chose the kitchen as the foundation for my career in hospitality. I wanted to be a chef because I think the kitchen is the most exciting place in any hotel or restaurant. That’s where everything happens. It’s a melting pot of culinary ‘cultures’, where flavours, textures, aromas and colours combine into an epicurean experience.

I still remember when as part of my chef training I was put in charge of the egg cooking station during breakfast in the restaurant. I will never forget the expression on the faces of our patrons when they came to order their favourite egg dish. It was sheer joy when they saw the order prepared right in front of their eyes, while interacting with me and exchanging some ‘secret’ recipes. A good chef delights his guests!

And in terms of the food I love, I was always very fond of the recipes from my home region, the south of Germany. We have specialities such as onion entrecote, sweetbread, sour roast, beef cheeks, blood & liver sausages, smoked trout, pretzel dumplings, spaetzle and mouth watering desserts like apple fritters with vanilla sauce and black forest fruit compote with whipped cream. But since I’ve been travelling I’ve become a big fan of Asian cuisine with a passion for Chinese, Thai and Japanese food.

Happiness and harmony

My favourite chefs are the ones who have the same drive and passion for what they are doing as I do, and who understand the importance of sharing their knowledge with others so that everyone benefits from their experience. I’m a firm believer in perfect harmony in any workplace and the kitchen is no exception. A happy chef cooks a happy meal and that makes a happy guest!

Moving on

My goal was always to become a General Manager one day, so psychologically it was not a difficult transition for me. I had and still have a soft spot for the kitchen, but I knew I had to move on and work in all other departments of the hotel as well. The most important lesson I had to learn was to be patient and to grow gradually. It was not a case of leaving the kitchen to become a Restaurant Manager, but you had to start by first being a waiter, serving food and clearing tables, taking customer orders.

But it’s paramount to know and understand the full scope of working in any department. And that applies to any other position that you take up thereafter. Your foundation, whatever you pursue, must be rock solid.

My challenges

Today the challenge for hotels and hoteliers, and for me as a General Manager, revolves around maintaining the highest levels of service for an increasingly affluent world traveller. Unlike twenty years ago, when guests were more or less happy with what they were offered, we are now dealing with patrons that have seen almost everything. For them, time has become a luxury commodity to be filled with an experience that is not only enriching and enhancing, but also unique. Having a sense of corporate social responsibility is important too, and we have a team engaged in identifying and carrying projects with our local community.

So you want a hospitality career

People who want to work in this industry must have Passion, Passion, Passion, and a burning desire to serve others. Because no matter what position you reach in your career, that will never change. Hospitality is serving others and being there for them, making their experience a once in a life time happening.

Be patient and don’t expect to earn big bucks at the beginning of your career. Your greatest reward is a guest saying a genuine ‘thank you’. Speak to friends and family, who are in the industry and ask them for the pros and cons so you can get a feeling for the challenges.

One lesson I learned during the early stages of my career was to keep an open mind and to be flexible. Hospitality is never a routine job and certainly not for the fainthearted. You can and will move. I usually end up in places I least expected and I always enjoy it. Thankfully, my wife and children are flexible too, understand this industry and are always there to support my professional dreams.

To learn more about The Oberoi Mauritius, visit their website at www.oberoihotels.com.

Adrian Rudin is General Manager of the Shangri-La Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi, a luminous monument to modern Arabic style with 214 luxurious rooms and suites spread over a kilometre of private beach. The hotel forms part of the Qaryat Al Beri complex and enjoys a reputation for fine cosmopolitan cuisine. Rudin was a finalist for General Manager of the Year in the 2009 Hotelier Middle East Awards.

I decided on a hospitality career after considering other industries and finding out that none were as fascinating as this. I did choose to become a chef as I was passionate about good food, enjoyed being creative and it was a role that offered the opportunity to travel the world.

My granddad was inspirational in my choice, as he was an Executive Chef and used to own a restaurant. I still remember camping around the ice cream machine of my granddad’s kitchen during the school holidays. I’m actually a third generation chef, but my father, who was also a chef, left the industry early on.

Pursuing my goal

I was born and educated in Switzerland, where I underwent my three years of chef training. I then spent three months in France and another three in England to polish my language skills. Between semesters at the Hotel Management School in Luzerne, I always tried to combine the time off with a short winter season, spending three to four months skiing (and of course earning some pocket money!).

My education didn’t stop there, and over the years in order to keep up-to-date, I’ve enrolled in relevant courses at the Hotel School in Lausanne and at Cornell in New Jersey. I think continuing to learn has benefited me tremendously, apart from the fact that I have enjoyed these courses very much.

Hotel chefs, restaurant chefs

Today, if you asked me who my favourite chefs are, I would put them into two categories, and of course one of the basic criteria would be that I would’ve had to personally taste their food!

The restaurant chefs I admire are Francois Girard, Alain Ducasse, Joel Robouchon, Alain Passard and of course Giles Perrin, who opened our Bord Eau restaurant at the Shangri-La Abu Dhabi.

My favourite hotel chefs are Norbert Kostner at the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, Roland Tirel of Island Shangri-La Hong Kong, Florian Trento at the Peninsula Hong Kong, and Peter Weiss at the Palace Hotel in Gstaad. Of course I must also mention Tim Stanhope, who was opening chef of the Shangri-La Abu Dhabi. He’s from New Zealand and not only cooks great food, but plays excellent golf.

Moving on

Once I arrived at a crossroads in my career – the question arose whether I should move or stay a chef – I decided to switch to management. I was working in Asia, and became the Food and Beverage Co-ordinator at the Peninsula in Hong Kong. I never looked back. I had the ambition to grow in other directions. But I actually miss the kitchen from time to time and the chance to create good food. I guess it’s in my blood.

And in truth, when it comes to the kind of food I really enjoy, it’s the simple things: a great mash potato, risotto or polenta. I also love different marinades for game dishes. The list is endless, and what’s important is that a recipe produces great and tasty food!

Moving on from the kitchen to general management was quite exciting, but I had to learn how to sit still after a rather hectic kitchen career where you’re always on the move and there is all that pressure during service.

My challenges

Now that I’m a General Manager, it’s a real 24/7 job. It never stops! You also have to look after what I call the invaluable human assets – training employees, retaining them. Of course I always try to be the best one can be. It’s a competitive world out there!

And we’ve just opened the last part of our one kilometre development here in Abu Dhabi, which is the 301-room Traders Hotel, so we will be busy positioning this hotel in the market. Of course, we want to work at keeping our market share too here at the Shangri-La! There is a lot to do.

So you want a hospitality career

If you’ve decided on hospitality, but haven’t yet made up your mind as to the area you wish to carve out a career, my tip would be that whatever it is, you must be a people person and passionate about hospitality. This is a challenging but rewarding profession.

And the key to a smooth transition from one role to another is to stay focused on what you’d like to achieve. Never give up, and if you have to adjust your goals, always adjust them upwards.

As for me, I still enjoy working in different countries and experiencing different cultures. One day I may return to Asia. Who knows where I will land next?

To learn more about Shangri-La Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi visit www.shangri-la.com.

Gerd Knaust is General Manager of Mandarin Oriental Sanya, a 12-hectare tropical retreat on the southernmost tip of China’s Hainan province. The new tourist hotspot, Sanya has been compared favourably to Miami, Hawaii and Cancun. The resort comprises over 200 rooms, suites, pavilions and villas, most facing the South China Sea, and in 2009 was voted the hotel ‘Best for Privacy’ by Conde Nast Traveller.

My father was a professional soldier, but I couldn’t see myself doing that. One day I wanted to buy a motorbike and my father said to pay half. So I worked part-time as a kitchen hand. That was my first introduction to the hospitality industry.

Outside the box

My dream was always to travel. A family friend worked on a cruise ship and that appealed to me. It was the 70s, and I did a three month interior design course after leaving school in Germany, but it wasn’t for me. I tried electronics too but the most fun I had was a one-month apprenticeship at a hotel.

It was totally out of the box! I was attracted to the creativity, and thought being a chef wouldn’t be a monotone job. I just couldn’t see myself sitting behind a desk. Also, I thought the guys in the kitchen wielded the most power.

My favourite things

My own all-time favourite dish is veal schnitzel. But choosing between a great steak and chocolate, I’d still choose chocolate!

With chefs, I like people who keep it simple. Most chefs nowadays are getting too fancy, even with a simple beef stroganoff. But I like Jamie Oliver who really reflects the younger generation, and I admire his social engagement, especially with school meals. He cooks simple, nice food too. Another chef would be Daniel Boulod, a French chef who has several restaurants in New York, Beijing and other cities. He joined us at our recent Mandarin GM Conference here in Sanya. He’s simple in his approach, and a gentleman.

The problem is when you’ve been a chef and someone offers you a lobster or trout. Well, I would say trout. The whole trend in cooking is going back to the style you would get at home. People want to be reminded, and really nice home cooking is better than anything. That’s what I tell my mother.

Moving on

Now I decided to move on from the kitchen for many reasons. I think I may have become too successful too fast. At thirty, I was the Kitchen Director of Hyatt in Germany. Then it started to become somewhat routine. At about thirty-two, I couldn’t see myself doing the same thing for the next thirty years.

At Mandarin Singapore, where I was Executive Chef, I moved on to become F&B Director. Then when I turned thirty-five, Mandarin asked me what I wanted to be in 5 years’ time and I said a GM! I was fast-tracked and reached it at forty, when they sent me to Indonesia.

I learned a lot in my three years in Indonesia, but mostly to be patient. The management style there is very different from Singapore. I had to be more of a role model and father figure. And it was a difficult period for the country after Suharto. My boss called me and said, ‘Are you okay? We’re watching riots on CNN!’ And I told him I had sales calls to make.

The experience also taught me to be more humble. There was such a gap between rich and poor. Being in London and Tokyo is great, but you need to have lived in a developing city to learn real life lessons.

So you want a career in hospitality

I think the most important thing when you come out of university is to have practical work experience. People have to understand that there are different types of jobs in hospitality. And after your apprenticeship – which is generally three years in Europe – I would highly recommend you join an international company where you can get great training. Go overseas for a year, and if you decide then that it’s really for you, start working towards higher management.

Hostelry in Asia is different from Europe; it’s more service-orientated. The guest is the key. Where you go depends on your personality and where you can adapt best. And in Asia, you have so many opportunities. The job of the hotel executive has a lot of prestige in the eyes of the locals. But before you go abroad, sit down and learn as much as you can about the new country.

From my perspective, when you take on a new assignment, to be successful it’s not about your package or your environment. The first thing I ask is what is the local market like? Who is our competition? Sanya is a great example. When we opened, there was no one. Now there are other luxury resorts, and thirteen new hotels will open in the next two years.

But I wanted this challenge. You always have to take calculated risks. Opening a hotel is like watching a baby being born. Now that we’re open, it’s learning how to walk, looking at career development and training.

Mandarin has several projects in Asia, and one day I could be opening another hotel. The nice thing about our company is you can tell them where you want to go.

To learn more about the Mandarin Oriental Sanya, visit their website on www.mandarinoriental.com/sanya/