Hi folks,
It's been a while. Hope all of you have been well. I'm just about to graduate from university in a couple of weeks, and have been thinking about my post-graduation life. I am currently recruiting for hotel positions, but I don't have a degree in hospitality. All I have are two internships with Four Seasons under my belt. I've been asked a lot, "Do you actually need a degree in hotels to work in the industry?"
Here are are my thoughts on paper, taken from an article I titled "There's Room at the Inn" and had published in Business Today, a student-run magazine at Princeton University.
....
I think that the hospitality industry provides all the usual challenges of running a business, along with perks like opportunities to travel and interact with people from different parts of the world, unpredictable experiences, and an interesting lifestyle in addition. It surprises me to find that there are relatively few future hoteliers, compared with future doctors, lawyers, bankers and engineers, in liberal arts colleges and universities.
Perhaps this is due to the incorrect assumption that one needs to have a degree from a hotel school in order to break into the industry. While there are specialized hospitality-related skills that one is not likely to pick up from an Ivy League school, the truth is that a hotel is like any other commercial organization. It is a business that requires people skilled in management, accounting and finance, marketing, sales, and communications. The unfortunate reality is that many students in elite schools do not consider careers in hospitality, as other professional options are more attractive and obvious. As a result, there is a dearth of graduates from elite universities in the industry when in fact such talent is very much in demand.
Another problem is that many college graduates look at the industry and think, “Well, there are food servers and housekeepers,” and forget that positions exist in senior management and corporate development as well. Each hotel is a mini company, and each chain is a multinational corporation.
According to Randy Goldberg, executive director of recruiting for the Hyatt chain, many students don’t realize that a job in hospitality can be a lucrative way to avoid that office cubicle. He says that a front-office manager at the Hyatt Regency Chicago can be making between $60,000 or $70,000 a year, and a general manager can expect an income in the six-figure range, depending on the size of the hotel. At the Four Seasons, a recent graduate will likely start as an assistant manager making about $40,000 per year. It may not seem much to begin with, but there is a great deal of upside. It is not unusual for hotel general managers to live at the hotel with their families, in addition to receiving private school tuition for their children, and a personal chauffeur, among other benefits, in addition to salaries of $200,000 - $300,000.
...
So, all you students out there - have a passion for hospitality? Studying Political Science? Engineering? Music? No problem. Get some experience in the industry - be it in restaurants, cafes, or hotels - talk to people, do well, and the doors will open.
Thanks for checking in. We'll see you again soon.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Just another neat freak
Hi folks,
Have you ever wondered how clean hotel rooms actually are? Sure, if you walk into a St. Regis or a Peninsula, the room is probably going to look pretty immaculate. For the price you pay as a guest, you're going to have "spotless room" on your list of expectations anyway. Okay, now consider this scenario: a hotel (not any of the three above) is offering discounts on room rates (almost resembling a fire sale). Do you expect the same level of service as someone who is paying full fare? Of course. Will you get the same level of service? Maybe, maybe not.
I recently stayed at a 4-star hotel (at a 50% discount off the rack rate) that will go unnamed to protect its reputation. Now having spent some time in the industry, I was aware of certain housekeeping standards that EVERY hotel should observe. Sadly, I did my typical room check that I do in every hotel I stay in, and I was appalled.
Heavy layers of dust on the TV, the desk lamp, and all the room lights. Long hair on the inside of two of the pillow case, and underneath the sheets. Stained bathroom door (I'm pretty sure it wasn't just a pattern). Two can tabs behind the TV. Prints all over the drinking glasses. Sure, I stayed there that night just to see what it'd be like, but I was not impressed. It doesn't take too much to give all these surfaces a quick wipe when you're cleaning the room. Oh well.
Remember, folks, the devil's in the details. Your guests WANT clean rooms. Thanks for checking in and we'll see you again soon.
Have you ever wondered how clean hotel rooms actually are? Sure, if you walk into a St. Regis or a Peninsula, the room is probably going to look pretty immaculate. For the price you pay as a guest, you're going to have "spotless room" on your list of expectations anyway. Okay, now consider this scenario: a hotel (not any of the three above) is offering discounts on room rates (almost resembling a fire sale). Do you expect the same level of service as someone who is paying full fare? Of course. Will you get the same level of service? Maybe, maybe not.
I recently stayed at a 4-star hotel (at a 50% discount off the rack rate) that will go unnamed to protect its reputation. Now having spent some time in the industry, I was aware of certain housekeeping standards that EVERY hotel should observe. Sadly, I did my typical room check that I do in every hotel I stay in, and I was appalled.
Heavy layers of dust on the TV, the desk lamp, and all the room lights. Long hair on the inside of two of the pillow case, and underneath the sheets. Stained bathroom door (I'm pretty sure it wasn't just a pattern). Two can tabs behind the TV. Prints all over the drinking glasses. Sure, I stayed there that night just to see what it'd be like, but I was not impressed. It doesn't take too much to give all these surfaces a quick wipe when you're cleaning the room. Oh well.
Remember, folks, the devil's in the details. Your guests WANT clean rooms. Thanks for checking in and we'll see you again soon.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Familiar Places
Hi folks,
I had the pleasure of taking a tour of the Four Seasons Hotel Silicon Valley at East Palo Alto with some members of my fraternity two days ago. The hotel's name is a little long, I have to admit, but it truly was a wonderful experience walking around and getting to know the property.
I've spent some time at the company's outpost in Hong Kong, so I'm familiar with the "people culture" that the hotel's employees like to talk about all the time. We were met by Albert, the group sales manager at the property. He took us around the different meeting facilities, Quattro (the hotel's sole restaurant), and a variety of different rooms. I felt goosebumps as I walked through the hotel rooms because the patterns and setup all were very, very familiar. It was a pity that the presidential suite was occupied that day, because that really is the most interesting room in any hotel. Spent any time in housekeeping, anyone?
On a side note, I was pleased to see that the hotel has its own herb garden around back. There seems to be an increasing trend towards farm-to-table cuisine and it's great to see that Four Seasons is leaning in this direction as well.
We got a chance to meet Bjorn, the assistant director of human resources, and Joerg, the director of finance. Joerg spoke to us about a career in the finance-side of hotels, touching on everything from accounting to budgeting. He calls himself the GM's right-hand man. I found it funny that both Albert and Joerg got their interest in hospitality because their families ran restaurants.
Two things that Joerg spoke about really struck a chord in me. "Be open to new ideas," and "listen to what people have to say." Haha, simple, right? These are easy things that people nowadays find so hard to do. Let's not talk about these things from a career perspective, how about a couple of day-to-day examples? It's so tempting just to stay in your comfort zone. To eat in the same place every day. To talk to only that guy or girl who sits next to you in class.
Try this. Switch it up a little, sample an exotic cuisine, read a new book, hang out with different people. Listen carefully to what people are talking about. I find that if you ask the right questions, people will actually reveal quite a lot about themselves. That's the first step to building a good relationship. After all, being open and personable are two of the keys to success in the hospitality industry.
Thanks for checking in, and we'll see you again soon.
I had the pleasure of taking a tour of the Four Seasons Hotel Silicon Valley at East Palo Alto with some members of my fraternity two days ago. The hotel's name is a little long, I have to admit, but it truly was a wonderful experience walking around and getting to know the property.
I've spent some time at the company's outpost in Hong Kong, so I'm familiar with the "people culture" that the hotel's employees like to talk about all the time. We were met by Albert, the group sales manager at the property. He took us around the different meeting facilities, Quattro (the hotel's sole restaurant), and a variety of different rooms. I felt goosebumps as I walked through the hotel rooms because the patterns and setup all were very, very familiar. It was a pity that the presidential suite was occupied that day, because that really is the most interesting room in any hotel. Spent any time in housekeeping, anyone?
On a side note, I was pleased to see that the hotel has its own herb garden around back. There seems to be an increasing trend towards farm-to-table cuisine and it's great to see that Four Seasons is leaning in this direction as well.
We got a chance to meet Bjorn, the assistant director of human resources, and Joerg, the director of finance. Joerg spoke to us about a career in the finance-side of hotels, touching on everything from accounting to budgeting. He calls himself the GM's right-hand man. I found it funny that both Albert and Joerg got their interest in hospitality because their families ran restaurants.
Two things that Joerg spoke about really struck a chord in me. "Be open to new ideas," and "listen to what people have to say." Haha, simple, right? These are easy things that people nowadays find so hard to do. Let's not talk about these things from a career perspective, how about a couple of day-to-day examples? It's so tempting just to stay in your comfort zone. To eat in the same place every day. To talk to only that guy or girl who sits next to you in class.
Try this. Switch it up a little, sample an exotic cuisine, read a new book, hang out with different people. Listen carefully to what people are talking about. I find that if you ask the right questions, people will actually reveal quite a lot about themselves. That's the first step to building a good relationship. After all, being open and personable are two of the keys to success in the hospitality industry.
Thanks for checking in, and we'll see you again soon.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Trusting Your Gut
Do you ever get that eerie feeling when you step into a restaurant? That feeling that perhaps you shouldn't be eating there? My dad uses the number of people eating in the restaurant at any one time as a benchmark for how good the restaurant is. Sure, sometimes that works, sometimes it doesn't. I know plenty of good restaurants that are not full because they only just opened for dinner! Anyways, let me tell you about my experience at Madison & Fifth in Palo Alto.
It was close to 6pm on a Sunday night and time for dinner. My friend had suggested the restaurant as she had been there before and thought it was pretty good! I know she's got good taste buds so I took her word for it, but skeptical me hesitated as soon as we went in the door. The restaurant wasn't even a fifth full. Oh well, a server was coming to say hello. I thought, the staff seem friendly enough, so let's give it a shot.
Moseying over to the table, I pull out the chair only to find that there are spots of some type of liquid all over it. The waiter switches the chair out and I'm once again satisfied. However, as soon as I sit down and open up my napkin, I find that two flies have been hanging out inside, doing goodness-knows-what. I proceed to get my napkin changed as well. Oh dear, I think to myself. Perhaps I was right to hesitate.
The friendly waitress drops by with the menu, and I open it to find that the restaurant uses Comic Sans MS as its menu font. That's a no-no in my books. Not a professional font at all. We pick our courses for the night, starting with a sauteed calamari and a salad. My friend gets a red beet risotto with chicken, and I get a duck ravioli. The appetizers were actually quite good, but when we get our main courses, I'm flabbergasted. The presentation of the food was absolutely horrendous. My friend's red beet chicken risotto was spilling out grotesquely out of a squash, while my duck ravioli looked like... y'know, let's not even go there. I must say that her risotto actually tasted quite good, while my ravioli wasn't bad on the inside, but tough on the outside.
Not to mention that the whole night the servers were dropping utensils all over the place. In the span of two hours, they had dropped forks and knives about 5 times. I think that was the 3rd strike for my checklist, but the restaurant earned itself a fourth strike when it served us dessert that included gelato that was icy and somewhat crunchy!
I can't say it was the most enjoyable restaurant experience I've ever had, as the food was somewhat mediocre, but I truly enjoyed my company that night. And, you know what? That's what actually counted for me. Being with good friends always helps any situation.
So, trust your gut. You're usually right the first time. Thanks for checking in, and we'll see you again soon.
It was close to 6pm on a Sunday night and time for dinner. My friend had suggested the restaurant as she had been there before and thought it was pretty good! I know she's got good taste buds so I took her word for it, but skeptical me hesitated as soon as we went in the door. The restaurant wasn't even a fifth full. Oh well, a server was coming to say hello. I thought, the staff seem friendly enough, so let's give it a shot.
Moseying over to the table, I pull out the chair only to find that there are spots of some type of liquid all over it. The waiter switches the chair out and I'm once again satisfied. However, as soon as I sit down and open up my napkin, I find that two flies have been hanging out inside, doing goodness-knows-what. I proceed to get my napkin changed as well. Oh dear, I think to myself. Perhaps I was right to hesitate.
The friendly waitress drops by with the menu, and I open it to find that the restaurant uses Comic Sans MS as its menu font. That's a no-no in my books. Not a professional font at all. We pick our courses for the night, starting with a sauteed calamari and a salad. My friend gets a red beet risotto with chicken, and I get a duck ravioli. The appetizers were actually quite good, but when we get our main courses, I'm flabbergasted. The presentation of the food was absolutely horrendous. My friend's red beet chicken risotto was spilling out grotesquely out of a squash, while my duck ravioli looked like... y'know, let's not even go there. I must say that her risotto actually tasted quite good, while my ravioli wasn't bad on the inside, but tough on the outside.
Not to mention that the whole night the servers were dropping utensils all over the place. In the span of two hours, they had dropped forks and knives about 5 times. I think that was the 3rd strike for my checklist, but the restaurant earned itself a fourth strike when it served us dessert that included gelato that was icy and somewhat crunchy!
I can't say it was the most enjoyable restaurant experience I've ever had, as the food was somewhat mediocre, but I truly enjoyed my company that night. And, you know what? That's what actually counted for me. Being with good friends always helps any situation.
So, trust your gut. You're usually right the first time. Thanks for checking in, and we'll see you again soon.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
It's the Experience that Counts
Hi folks,
I just got back from a six-day trip to Hawai'i. More specifically, I spent all my time on the island of O'ahu, shuffling from beach to beach and going on amazing hikes. Over the holiday, I picked up a book by Jonathan Tisch, CEO of Loews Hotels, called Chocolates On The Pillow Aren't Enough. In short, he basically says that it's not enough for companies to offer a unique product or service, especially in this economy. What keeps customers coming back is the experience.
I'd like to tell you about all the times that made my trip to Hawai'i memorable.
I've always been averse to flying any American airline, mostly because I'm so spoilt by the comfort and efficiency of Cathay Pacific. However, I flew Northwest to Honolulu this time around. The flight left on time, give or take five minutes, which was better than I expected. The seat was comfortable and I was asleep in no time after takeoff. What clinched the deal for me was the service, the flight attendants were extremely attentive and responded quickly to all my requests for water. Even after they had served me a cup of orange juice already, the attendant noticed I was twiddling my cup and quickly asked me if I wanted more. Perhaps I won't be so biased in the future, for this flight was one of the best domestic ones I've taken in the US.
In Hawai'i, the next memorable moment occured at the Waikiki Marina Resort. We had arrived at the hotel and were looking for the reception. One very attentive bellhop called us by name and pointed us in the direction of the hotel front desk. Turns out the Resort was part of a much larger complex, and the hotel check-in was on the second floor. My friends commented that the bellhop was so cheerful and willing to help that they all remembered his name: Calvin.
On O'ahu, there is a chain of convenience stores called ABC Stores. I often drop in on these locations to buy water for the day. There were two times when I didn't have enough coins, and both times, in true demonstrations of Hawaiian hospitality, the cashiers were willing to chip in a few cents to round up the purchase. Simple task, but a memorable one nonetheless.
During our trip, we also hit up a couple of beaches. One of them was called Sandy Beach, on the south shore of O'ahu. The beach is popular with the locals, but also has one of the highest rates of neck breaking due to the shorebreak and rip tide. I don't know if our group appeared to be foreign, even though we had a couple of locals with us, but one of the lifeguards jumped off his post to come to talk to us about the dangers in the water. He certainly could've stayed up there and continued looking suave in his red lifeguard shorts, but he took the time to warn us. I really appreciated that.
It doesn't take much for a trip to be memorable, just a combination of little things that make the experience all the more enjoyable.
Thanks for checking in, and I hope to see you again soon.
I just got back from a six-day trip to Hawai'i. More specifically, I spent all my time on the island of O'ahu, shuffling from beach to beach and going on amazing hikes. Over the holiday, I picked up a book by Jonathan Tisch, CEO of Loews Hotels, called Chocolates On The Pillow Aren't Enough. In short, he basically says that it's not enough for companies to offer a unique product or service, especially in this economy. What keeps customers coming back is the experience.
I'd like to tell you about all the times that made my trip to Hawai'i memorable.
I've always been averse to flying any American airline, mostly because I'm so spoilt by the comfort and efficiency of Cathay Pacific. However, I flew Northwest to Honolulu this time around. The flight left on time, give or take five minutes, which was better than I expected. The seat was comfortable and I was asleep in no time after takeoff. What clinched the deal for me was the service, the flight attendants were extremely attentive and responded quickly to all my requests for water. Even after they had served me a cup of orange juice already, the attendant noticed I was twiddling my cup and quickly asked me if I wanted more. Perhaps I won't be so biased in the future, for this flight was one of the best domestic ones I've taken in the US.
In Hawai'i, the next memorable moment occured at the Waikiki Marina Resort. We had arrived at the hotel and were looking for the reception. One very attentive bellhop called us by name and pointed us in the direction of the hotel front desk. Turns out the Resort was part of a much larger complex, and the hotel check-in was on the second floor. My friends commented that the bellhop was so cheerful and willing to help that they all remembered his name: Calvin.
On O'ahu, there is a chain of convenience stores called ABC Stores. I often drop in on these locations to buy water for the day. There were two times when I didn't have enough coins, and both times, in true demonstrations of Hawaiian hospitality, the cashiers were willing to chip in a few cents to round up the purchase. Simple task, but a memorable one nonetheless.
During our trip, we also hit up a couple of beaches. One of them was called Sandy Beach, on the south shore of O'ahu. The beach is popular with the locals, but also has one of the highest rates of neck breaking due to the shorebreak and rip tide. I don't know if our group appeared to be foreign, even though we had a couple of locals with us, but one of the lifeguards jumped off his post to come to talk to us about the dangers in the water. He certainly could've stayed up there and continued looking suave in his red lifeguard shorts, but he took the time to warn us. I really appreciated that.
It doesn't take much for a trip to be memorable, just a combination of little things that make the experience all the more enjoyable.
Thanks for checking in, and I hope to see you again soon.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
What Gen Y Wants to Eat
Hi folks,
Looks like my postings have become more and more sporadic. I do apologize. So, anyways... last night I had special dinner with my fraternity. You ask, it's just dinner, what is so special? Simply put, a "special dinner" is prepared by a chef solely devoted to your group's event, which makes for good quality control, and typically, better food than the dining hall, but many steps below the food you might find at Bouchon.
Let's run through some of the food we had. For hors d'oeuvres, we had a wonderful concoction of spinach + goat cheese on a filo pastry, some baked bread with roasted garlic, plus your typical fruits and nuts. Our salad was made up of sliced mozzarella, sliced tomatoes, and a piece of fresh basil. A boring dish, to say the least. I was eagerly anticipating the New York strip steaks and the grilled salmon with mango salsa, only to find out that the former was way too overcooked. Which chef doesn't know that in order to be able to properly appreciate the flavor in the meat, it has to be done medium, even medium rare? A well-done steak is too dry and tastes like cardboard. As for the salmon, I'd give it 6/10 points because I love fish, but seriously, it was like it'd been taken out into the burning sun and dried to a crisp. Still, the food was admittedly better than what we get in the dining halls usually. The high point of the night was the chocolate dipped strawberries plus a vanilla ice cream pastry. Sue me having a sweet tooth.
NY strip steak, grilled salmon w/ mango salsa, mixed vegetables and red potatoes
Chocolate dipped strawberries w/ vanilla ice cream
On a related note, I was reading a brief released by Sodexho, a foodservice provider to over 600 campuses in the United States and Canada, which talked about college students' taste buds. Apparently, we're all well-traveled (cough), celebrity-chef exposed (Rachael Ray, really?), and green-minded (definitely) students.
Sodexho thinks that 20 years ago, people our age liked to eat chicken nuggets, chicken chop suey, Spanish beef and rice, and Algerian lamb stew, to name a few of their observations. In 2009, we like locally-grown vegetables, crispy garlic-ginger chicken wings, Vietnamese Pho, and Mac 'n Cheese, in addition to other comfort foods. How insightful.
Read the brief and let me know what you think. Thanks for checking in and I hope to see you again soon.
Looks like my postings have become more and more sporadic. I do apologize. So, anyways... last night I had special dinner with my fraternity. You ask, it's just dinner, what is so special? Simply put, a "special dinner" is prepared by a chef solely devoted to your group's event, which makes for good quality control, and typically, better food than the dining hall, but many steps below the food you might find at Bouchon.
Let's run through some of the food we had. For hors d'oeuvres, we had a wonderful concoction of spinach + goat cheese on a filo pastry, some baked bread with roasted garlic, plus your typical fruits and nuts. Our salad was made up of sliced mozzarella, sliced tomatoes, and a piece of fresh basil. A boring dish, to say the least. I was eagerly anticipating the New York strip steaks and the grilled salmon with mango salsa, only to find out that the former was way too overcooked. Which chef doesn't know that in order to be able to properly appreciate the flavor in the meat, it has to be done medium, even medium rare? A well-done steak is too dry and tastes like cardboard. As for the salmon, I'd give it 6/10 points because I love fish, but seriously, it was like it'd been taken out into the burning sun and dried to a crisp. Still, the food was admittedly better than what we get in the dining halls usually. The high point of the night was the chocolate dipped strawberries plus a vanilla ice cream pastry. Sue me having a sweet tooth.
NY strip steak, grilled salmon w/ mango salsa, mixed vegetables and red potatoes
Chocolate dipped strawberries w/ vanilla ice creamOn a related note, I was reading a brief released by Sodexho, a foodservice provider to over 600 campuses in the United States and Canada, which talked about college students' taste buds. Apparently, we're all well-traveled (cough), celebrity-chef exposed (Rachael Ray, really?), and green-minded (definitely) students.
Sodexho thinks that 20 years ago, people our age liked to eat chicken nuggets, chicken chop suey, Spanish beef and rice, and Algerian lamb stew, to name a few of their observations. In 2009, we like locally-grown vegetables, crispy garlic-ginger chicken wings, Vietnamese Pho, and Mac 'n Cheese, in addition to other comfort foods. How insightful.
Read the brief and let me know what you think. Thanks for checking in and I hope to see you again soon.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
A luxury chain doing it right
Dear folks,
Happy February! Seems like only yesterday we ushered in the new year. I've got some wonderful news for all of you today.
Just two days ago, Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts announced that it would provide free internet access throughout all of its 60 properties, including at all of its Traders hotels. I believe this is the first international luxury chain to offer this kind of service, especially in this financial downturn. Many travelers are bringing their laptops on vacation, whether for work or for play, and need to be connected. I can't tell you how many times I've checked into a hotel and discovered a fee for internet access that would make online gamers cringe.
On a related note, in a recession, don't look at cutting your rates. Guests are not going to feel like they've got a deal if you're only moving your rates by a few dollars. Throw in a night on the house if your customers stay a certain number of nights (The Four Seasons does this, but of course, they've done the necessary calculations to make sure they still make a profit). Throw in breakfast, health club access, internet access (good on you, Shangri-La)! Up the perks, and guests will feel like that sky-high hotel rate is actually worth every cent.
Thanks for checking in, we'll see you around soon.
Happy February! Seems like only yesterday we ushered in the new year. I've got some wonderful news for all of you today.
Just two days ago, Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts announced that it would provide free internet access throughout all of its 60 properties, including at all of its Traders hotels. I believe this is the first international luxury chain to offer this kind of service, especially in this financial downturn. Many travelers are bringing their laptops on vacation, whether for work or for play, and need to be connected. I can't tell you how many times I've checked into a hotel and discovered a fee for internet access that would make online gamers cringe.
On a related note, in a recession, don't look at cutting your rates. Guests are not going to feel like they've got a deal if you're only moving your rates by a few dollars. Throw in a night on the house if your customers stay a certain number of nights (The Four Seasons does this, but of course, they've done the necessary calculations to make sure they still make a profit). Throw in breakfast, health club access, internet access (good on you, Shangri-La)! Up the perks, and guests will feel like that sky-high hotel rate is actually worth every cent.
Thanks for checking in, we'll see you around soon.
Monday, January 12, 2009
What's new for you in 2009?
Good afternoon folks,
Wishing all of you a wonderful new year. I apologize for being MIA during the past few weeks. Yours truly was traveling in Singapore and Malaysia and spending a significant amount of time with the family back in Hong Kong. I hope everyone had wonderful holidays, no matter which country everybody hails from. Of course, the Chinese still haven't had their new year celebrations yet.
On New Year's Eve, I was thinking about some of the resolutions I could have made for the new year. Honestly, I hardly ever make resolutions, because I figure if I want to accomplish something during the year, I'll go right ahead and do it. In the end, I didn't end up making any resolutions per se, but I did think about some things I woud aim to do in 2009.
1. Stop comparing myself with the next person
Sure, your best friend is working for Goldman Sachs. Your roommate has 4.0 GPA. That guy in your fraternity drives a Porsche. The girl down the hall has a father on the Forbes 400. You're going to hear things like this again and again as you go through life. Why compare? It hurts your self-esteem and depresses your levels of happiness. When you compete, compete with yourself. You're going to feel a whole lot better that way, and life will just seem amazing!
2. Spend more time with friends and family
God is always going to remain first place in my life, followed by family and friends. I think I'm a huge family person, which is why I love going home during the vacations while my friends travel the world. I get as much satisfaction from playing golf with my parents as I do from going water skiing with my good friends. Studies have shown that a lack of social relationships will kill you faster than smoking. Listen up, people.
3. Smile more
I must walk around with a smile on my face, because I get random people, both young and old, saying hi to me while I go about my daily life. Smile! Smiling is contagious, I'm sure you know. It makes you ten times happier (okay, maybe twice as happier), and you'll look at life a whole different way.
4. Enjoy life
Life is too short to be focusing on trivial things like trying to make as much money as possible. If you've got a loving family, good friends, and a steady job, that's all you really need. Slow down and enjoy the finer things in life (excuse the cliche). Yesterday, I rolled out of bed at 7am and turned on my laptop to do some e-mail. At the same time, I opened the window and checked out the amazing sunrise. It was priceless. Money couldn't buy the feeling I had at that exact moment.
So, folks, consider these points as you go into 2009. Thanks for checking in, we'll definitely be open more this year.
Wishing all of you a wonderful new year. I apologize for being MIA during the past few weeks. Yours truly was traveling in Singapore and Malaysia and spending a significant amount of time with the family back in Hong Kong. I hope everyone had wonderful holidays, no matter which country everybody hails from. Of course, the Chinese still haven't had their new year celebrations yet.
On New Year's Eve, I was thinking about some of the resolutions I could have made for the new year. Honestly, I hardly ever make resolutions, because I figure if I want to accomplish something during the year, I'll go right ahead and do it. In the end, I didn't end up making any resolutions per se, but I did think about some things I woud aim to do in 2009.
1. Stop comparing myself with the next person
Sure, your best friend is working for Goldman Sachs. Your roommate has 4.0 GPA. That guy in your fraternity drives a Porsche. The girl down the hall has a father on the Forbes 400. You're going to hear things like this again and again as you go through life. Why compare? It hurts your self-esteem and depresses your levels of happiness. When you compete, compete with yourself. You're going to feel a whole lot better that way, and life will just seem amazing!
2. Spend more time with friends and family
God is always going to remain first place in my life, followed by family and friends. I think I'm a huge family person, which is why I love going home during the vacations while my friends travel the world. I get as much satisfaction from playing golf with my parents as I do from going water skiing with my good friends. Studies have shown that a lack of social relationships will kill you faster than smoking. Listen up, people.
3. Smile more
I must walk around with a smile on my face, because I get random people, both young and old, saying hi to me while I go about my daily life. Smile! Smiling is contagious, I'm sure you know. It makes you ten times happier (okay, maybe twice as happier), and you'll look at life a whole different way.
4. Enjoy life
Life is too short to be focusing on trivial things like trying to make as much money as possible. If you've got a loving family, good friends, and a steady job, that's all you really need. Slow down and enjoy the finer things in life (excuse the cliche). Yesterday, I rolled out of bed at 7am and turned on my laptop to do some e-mail. At the same time, I opened the window and checked out the amazing sunrise. It was priceless. Money couldn't buy the feeling I had at that exact moment.
So, folks, consider these points as you go into 2009. Thanks for checking in, we'll definitely be open more this year.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Food, glorious food...
Hi folks,
An entourage of Michelin inspectors (mostly French, plus two Asian counterparts) spent the whole of this year in Hong Kong visiting and evaluating several restaurants, eventually releasing the Michelin Guide to Hong Kong and Macau last week. I had the opportunity of checking out a restaurant that was awarded two stars, Bo Innovation, last night.
During dinner, I noticed a couple of things during the meal that seem to be becoming popular.
1. Small plates, no more big portions
In this health conscious society today, people are looking for balanced diets. It's all about offering a variety of different foods, kicking with flavor, and screaming "This is good for you!" Creative appetizers are coming to the forefront, offering each diner a taste of everything. Say goodbye to those 32 oz steaks, and your arteries will say thanks.
2. Willingness to try new things
It's fine to go with comfort foods, like a dish of mashed potatoes or a plate of fish and chips, but chefs are beginning to experiment with different foods and ingredients to create intense flavors that are pleasing to the palate. You can probably say, chefs are becoming artists in their own right. How about a xiaolong bao (a Shanghainese soup dumpling) that actually looks like an egg yolk, a souffle that is stuffed full of delicious crab meat, or laap-cheung (Chinese sausage) flavored ice cream?
Xiaolong bao + laap-cheung ice cream
Crab souffle
As you indulge in the holiday festivities, look out for these trends in the world of gastronomy.
Wishing all of you happy holidays! Thanks for checking in, and I look forward to seeing you again soon.
An entourage of Michelin inspectors (mostly French, plus two Asian counterparts) spent the whole of this year in Hong Kong visiting and evaluating several restaurants, eventually releasing the Michelin Guide to Hong Kong and Macau last week. I had the opportunity of checking out a restaurant that was awarded two stars, Bo Innovation, last night.
During dinner, I noticed a couple of things during the meal that seem to be becoming popular.
1. Small plates, no more big portions
In this health conscious society today, people are looking for balanced diets. It's all about offering a variety of different foods, kicking with flavor, and screaming "This is good for you!" Creative appetizers are coming to the forefront, offering each diner a taste of everything. Say goodbye to those 32 oz steaks, and your arteries will say thanks.
2. Willingness to try new things
It's fine to go with comfort foods, like a dish of mashed potatoes or a plate of fish and chips, but chefs are beginning to experiment with different foods and ingredients to create intense flavors that are pleasing to the palate. You can probably say, chefs are becoming artists in their own right. How about a xiaolong bao (a Shanghainese soup dumpling) that actually looks like an egg yolk, a souffle that is stuffed full of delicious crab meat, or laap-cheung (Chinese sausage) flavored ice cream?
Xiaolong bao + laap-cheung ice cream
Crab souffleAs you indulge in the holiday festivities, look out for these trends in the world of gastronomy.
Wishing all of you happy holidays! Thanks for checking in, and I look forward to seeing you again soon.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
The Devil's In the Details
Hi folks,
I apologize for being MIA for the past few days. Yours truly has been having final exams and has been diligently preparing for them. As I was preparing for my economics and geography finals, I was annotating my maps and graphs to the very last detail, making sure that I didn't miss anything.
We're talking about being detailed today.
I did a short summer internship with the Four Seasons a couple of years ago. Ever since then, I've realized how important the little things are. Learning to inspect rooms before the guest arrived was actually a pretty difficult job, perhaps because I was only there for such a short period of time. The list of requirements for a perfect room were endless: making sure that the towel labels were perfectly aligned, that the glassware had no fingerprints, that there were exactly six pieces of writing paper in the drawer, that the pen was angled at exactly 45 degrees. I was really intrigued with the level of detail that was necessary for hotel housekeeping.
There are actually a significant number of things that the hotel can do to create a delightful experience for the guest. Believe it or not, guests often send out little signals as they go about their life in the hotel. Notice that the guest is only drinking the Ginger Ale in the minibar? Let housekeeping know and have them stock more of the same drink in the bar. If the guest is a frequent patron at the hotel, be sure to note this in the guest profile. In the event that he or she dines at a hotel outlet, the maître d' can immediately ask if the guest would like a Ginger Ale to start with. It's not a huge task to take on, but it is a nice touch.
Another example of paying attention to detail is knowing the guests' names. I've found that there are a good number of housekeeping staff who fail to address the guest by name. Sir or Madam is fine, but it's taking the experience to another level when you say, "Good morning, Mr. Jones. Is it convenient for me to clean your room now?" Again, perhaps it's not a huge deal to some people, but it sure is nice to hear your name sometimes, so you're not just Guest Number 234. I've realized that airline staff, especially those catering to business class and first class passengers, are extremely adept at passenger recognition. Creating an experience for the guest lies solely in the details.
Thanks for checking in, and I hope to see you again soon.
I apologize for being MIA for the past few days. Yours truly has been having final exams and has been diligently preparing for them. As I was preparing for my economics and geography finals, I was annotating my maps and graphs to the very last detail, making sure that I didn't miss anything.
We're talking about being detailed today.
I did a short summer internship with the Four Seasons a couple of years ago. Ever since then, I've realized how important the little things are. Learning to inspect rooms before the guest arrived was actually a pretty difficult job, perhaps because I was only there for such a short period of time. The list of requirements for a perfect room were endless: making sure that the towel labels were perfectly aligned, that the glassware had no fingerprints, that there were exactly six pieces of writing paper in the drawer, that the pen was angled at exactly 45 degrees. I was really intrigued with the level of detail that was necessary for hotel housekeeping.
There are actually a significant number of things that the hotel can do to create a delightful experience for the guest. Believe it or not, guests often send out little signals as they go about their life in the hotel. Notice that the guest is only drinking the Ginger Ale in the minibar? Let housekeeping know and have them stock more of the same drink in the bar. If the guest is a frequent patron at the hotel, be sure to note this in the guest profile. In the event that he or she dines at a hotel outlet, the maître d' can immediately ask if the guest would like a Ginger Ale to start with. It's not a huge task to take on, but it is a nice touch.
Another example of paying attention to detail is knowing the guests' names. I've found that there are a good number of housekeeping staff who fail to address the guest by name. Sir or Madam is fine, but it's taking the experience to another level when you say, "Good morning, Mr. Jones. Is it convenient for me to clean your room now?" Again, perhaps it's not a huge deal to some people, but it sure is nice to hear your name sometimes, so you're not just Guest Number 234. I've realized that airline staff, especially those catering to business class and first class passengers, are extremely adept at passenger recognition. Creating an experience for the guest lies solely in the details.
Thanks for checking in, and I hope to see you again soon.
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