World-class hospitality is a lifelong learning journey

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They say that in hospitality the only thing that is constant is change. Ever since I started my journey into hospitality and catering, I know this to be absolutely true. Over the years, I’ve seen many changes occur over and over again, where new trends, travel realities, and general attitudes within the service industry reshape how we are expected to cater towards our guests and diners. Most recently, the pandemic brought with it significant changes that hotels and restaurants the world over are continuing to adapt to.

For all these reasons and more, I continue to seek out opportunities to learn new skills and knowledge so that in my role as restaurant manager overseeing AX Hotels’ Sliema properties I can continue to deliver the high standards of service the AX brand has become synonymous with.

In November last year, I was lucky enough to spend a week at the renowned Gambero Rosso academy in Rome as part of the Erasmus programme organised by the Malta Tourism Authority. Offered exclusively to restaurant and catering professionals, the programme was a rare opportunity to train directly under the guidance of highly skilled Maitre and Sommelier on all manner of topics related to improving quality-of-service standards in the industry. From all my years of studying and working in hospitality, I can genuinely say that this was a unique and an unforgettable experience from start to finish.

The training itself was a true masterclass in hospitality and service. Throughout the week, we enjoyed classes from three extraordinary tutors, each of whom held a distinguished resume working in 5-star luxury hotels and Michelin-starred restaurants around the globe. They all had a tremendous passion for food, wine, and hospitality that shone through their engaging teaching style, and which welcomed us in as equals. More than just simply educating us, each tutor offered up a wealth of scenarios and episodes from their own experience, which really put the theory and concepts they were teaching us into a grounded context, showcasing how we could apply all that we were learning within our own respective roles.

Over the course of the week, we were given training covering a wide range of skills and topics, including best practices in contemporary hospitality, the differences between traditional and modern service techniques, restaurant planning, food and wine pairing, the history of wine, and so much more.

Personally, I learned many new skills which I instantly knew would better support me in my role as restaurant manager at our hotels in Sliema. I also got to absorb new perspectives on my own ingrained skills and knowledge, which really opened my eyes to different approaches and ways of thinking on servicing diners and guests. In hospitality, there is rarely a one-size-fits-all approach to expertly handle all guests. You need to be cognisant of various ways to meet their requirements, needs, and requests, which can vary depending on a number of factors, from the style of hotel or restaurant you’re working in to how guest expectations differ according to geographical and cultural contexts. Therefore, having an opportunity to soak up more standpoints was a valuable lesson that I know will serve me well going forward.

In addition to the training, I was also looking forward to this trip in Rome as it presented another opportunity for me to experience a hotel stay from a guest’s point of view. Working in the hotel industry, catering to guests on a day-to-day basis, it’s sometimes easy to overlook the simple things which can transform the guest experience into a truly memorable one. As such, I treated my time at the Villa Zaccardi hotel as something of a refresher course in guest hospitality.

Located a mere 10 minutes away from the academy, the hotel was a truly fine place to stay in this beautiful city. Not only were the rooms, facilities, and lovely garden a pleasure to stay in but the staff were an absolute delight. They saw to our every need and were welcoming, sociable, and expertly prepared throughout. As a fellow hospitality professional, it was a pleasure to see such excellent service standards first hand, and the entire hotel experience perfectly complemented the daily training we were receiving at the academy.

Moreover, the trip was also an opportunity to get to know many hospitality professionals working across so many different hotels and restaurants. All the managers and supervisors who attended the course were incredibly talented and everyone showed their passion toward the job, sharing their experiences, and going out of their way to be friendly and helpful. It was an amazing group to be part of and reminded me how lucky we all are to work in an industry where being friendly and courteous to one another is in the job description.

All in all, the entire week of training at Gambero Rosso was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I would recommend to anyone who is serious about delivering world-class hospitality. Since I returned from the trip, I have been putting all that I learned into practice. I also continue to share all the lessons I picked up with my colleagues at AX Hotels to ensure that we are all delivering a consistent service across the board that is in line with international standards.

While I learned a lot during the experience, I also know there’ll be plenty more to discover in the future as the industry continues to evolve. That’s why I look forward to each new learning experience presented to me with open arms so that I can acquire new skills, challenge my preconceived ideas, try different experiences, meet new people, and continue to enjoy the unique privileges of working in, what I believe to be, the greatest industry in the world.

Every Cloud has a Silver Lining

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Written by Romina Pace, Head of Human Resources-AX Hotels

None of us could really understand the impact of COVID-19 when it struck us way back in March.  The only certain and common factor amongst different nations and communities was our undeterred focus to protect and safeguard our loved ones, the elderly and the vulnerable, healthcare workers and front liners.

Over the past eight months, we’ve all witnessed the global impact and severe consequences of this virus and it has shocked us beyond our core. The pandemic has challenged us all to rethink, reassess and re-evaluate our priorities, amongst great difficulty, ambiguity and uncertainty, both on a personal and professional level.

Many companies went above and beyond to ensure that their task force retained their livelihood during these hard times and the government’s grant to support employment has surely helped to save jobs.  Unfortunately, I also recognize that not everyone is as fortunate or well-equipped, especially businesses that were small or had just started out.

The strategies that the authorities implemented to flatten the covid-19 curve such as social distancing, stay-at-home orders, travel and mobility restrictions have resulted in the temporary closure of many hospitality businesses and significantly decreased the demand for businesses that were allowed to continue to operate.

There are times where in this situation, most people feel deflated, disheartened, and drained and it is normal that most of us feel this way.  I always remind myself that there is no harm in looking at the bright side of things and thinking with a positive outlook.

I strongly believe that the only way to cope with this upheaval is by sticking together and making the best use of everyone’s strengths. Throughout all the chaos that characterised 2020, we’ve come to the realisation that life is too short, and tomorrow is not a guarantee.  We must find ways to make it better for our own good. Let us remember that every cloud has a silver lining so we must never give up on life, life is beautiful. Let us be a light in someone’s darkness.

Don’t Try to Fit a Square Peg in a Round Hole

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Written by Denise Micallef Xuereb, Construction & Development Director AX Group 

Speaking at the Malta Chamber’s A Family Affair conference, Ms Xuereb said that the key to success was by not trying to fit a square peg into a round hole – meaning that the succeeding generations had to take up the role not out of obligation but out of choice.

“Many people in Malta don’t distinguish between shareholder and director. One can remain a shareholder but not necessarily be an executive or non-executive director,” Ms Xuereb said, adding that not everyone necessarily had the expertise to move the business forward and that there was nothing wrong with having a non-family member at the executive level.

Ms Xuereb said that there needed to be time allowed for the process and that the first seed for transition dated years back. “The extent to which non-family members are involved varies from one business to another.” She said the company implemented the necessary organisational and financial structures, including an audit committee and a board of directors. “We needed to have the right checks and balances in place. We were thinking of children and further generations.”

The second generation of a family business is only as successful as the first allows it to be, Ms Xuereb stated. “It’s not easy for the founder to accept that their time is nearly up and that they might have to take a step back to, but in our case, my father had the foresight to start early. He would ask for my opinion and encouraged me to pursue my own solutions even when we disagreed. He said we would need to be able to stand on our own two feet, even when he was out of the picture.”

Ms Xuereb also shared some tips on navigating the relationships involved in a family business. “You have to keep work at work and family. Arguing at work is not a bad thing, but then you may end up facing that same person at a family event. You can’t bring sisterhood into the boardroom – you have to maintain the distinction between family and home. It’s not easy, but as long as everyone tries to keep the two apart, it can work.”

Stating that there were no hard and fast rules to follow in success, Ms Xuereb said that what can work for one may not work for another. She concluded by sharing three key thoughts – “respect the core values of the business; know your personal strengths and limitations; and accept that change doesn’t happen overnight.”