'Tis the most (busiest) time of the Year'

Forsaking William's silver pen this time, Giles has a festive theme for this post.

In hotels and restaurants, colleagues are like family. Actually, many hospitality employees spend more time with their colleagues, and are closer to them, than their own family!

At Christmas time, hospitality is one of the industries where you actually work on Christmas Day.

Shift Leaders: An Appreciation

A person often overlooked in bars, restaurants, cafes and lounges is the long suffering Shift or Team Leader. However, the role they play is vital.

Quite a few paces for various reasons (mainly due to size of establishment and size of workforce) do not have one. However, either officially appointed or unofficially recognised as such, the Shift or Team Leader of real concern to the supervisor or manager.

'Education, education, education'

Increasingly, the young of today are being encouraged and urged to get further education. Many turn to studying hospitality management, travel and tourism, and related courses, as a stepping stone to a career in hospitality.

Giles’ advice is simple: don’t study hospitality, or travel and tourism, or related.

Cooks & Chefs: A Tribute

Giles has learnt the patience and tact, and the ability to conceal his feelings that comes with several years in the hospitality industry. However, there are some things that really annoy him, and which he can be (quite surprisingly) vocal about.

'There AreTwo Types Of Manager...'

Several years ago, a as relatively new food and beverage supervisor, Giles had the opportunity to work under a very unorthodox F&B manager. He was only at that hotel for a few months, but he learned a great deal from Mr. C. He still remembers several management principles and words of wisdom.

'Is service charge included?'

Tipping; the source of many heated discussion in the industry. Tipping (including tronc, service charges, gratuities, auto grats, and all the other forms of tips) varies from establishment to establishment, and from country to country.

Cooking: A Man’s Job?

In a characteristic hot headed and frankly honest manner typical of many top chefs, Tom Kerridge raised more than the temperature of the kitchen with some remarks he made during the Cheltenham Literature Festival in October.