All clowns, no elephants!
The irony is many of us who have followed this path have ended up making careers in hospitality, myself included. Although I am not standing in front of a classroom in my current role as one of the principals of ATS, my first brush with tertiary studies was in early childhood education. In my late twenties, I spent three more years chipping away at a degree in Behavioural Sciences. So non-linear paths and full circles have coursed through my working life.
You might be wondering how this twist evolved? I started out waiting tables at a RSL club where a good work ethic and people management skills received a kick start. Cooking became a pre-occupation, I started collecting and reading from cover to cover magazines and books on food. At one stage, I had three ovens in my kitchen and a marble slab immersed into a bench to make pastries. Soon after, I was making sour dough for half the neighbourhood.
Back at university in my late twenties, the family income was supplemented producing cakes and desserts to restaurants and cafes. After one particular shift in my next role as maitre d' in a restaurant, I recall making brioche dough at 2.30 in the morning for my kids' breakfast. Call it a disease and I, unquestionably, had a full blown case!
Skidding through the years, my passion propelled me from the lowest point in the kitchen brigade to taking charge of a large and prestigous catering company. I have overseen the setting up of restaurants and cafes, taken charge of the financials/profitability, food styling, human resources, you name it! I have made businesses successful as I have nursed a business with a death wish. You get to see it all!
This piece was not meant to be an exercise in self promotion, if you live long and with purpose you are likely to scale giddier heights. Having sketched my bona fides, I want to tell a story for you to gain insight about this industry, hospitality. Don't be intimidated by where I am leading you.
The event, dinner at Le Louis XV in the Hotel de Paris in Monte-Carlo. It happened two years ago. It ended with the comment "all clowns, no elephants". Call this article the appetiser in a series, I'll get back to you soon!
