Exclusive Interview | Manvendra Rashk, General Manager at The Ambassador, Mumbai
/ Editor HospemagTell us about your journey. How did it all start?
After pursuing MBA, I quickly followed my professional career in the hospitality industry. I secured a job as a management trainee at ITC to begin with and then got posted to one of the leading hotels for 3 years. I then moved into an exchange program abroad where I worked for 20-25 years in various destinations across the world.
Following the overseas stint, I returned to India and worked with Taj Lands End for some time after which I joined The Ambassador, Mumbai.
What do you think it takes to succeed in this industry?
To succeed in any industry, determination, skills and patience is the key. The same applies to hospitality industry too. To succeed in this industry, one must be focused on goals, be creative and innovative, and be good at public relations. Since it is a guest- driven industry and you want to pamper them to the absolute fullest, your demeanour must be warm, welcoming and must possess real-time problem-solving abilities.
Share with us 5 skills that you think will be critical for a hospitality career in the future.
Hospitality industry has been changing continuously according to the needs of the modern-day travellers and technological development. With that being said, one needs to possess strong analytical skills along with foresight for new concepts in Food & Beverages. As the industry keeps seeing new trends, one must be flexible in quickly adopting and aligning themselves with the same.
One of the foremost skills that an individual must have in hospitality industry is to maintain strong guest relations. Patrons love personalized services during their stay and one who knows their customers and their preferences better gains popularity for their work in the long run.
Last but not the least, though hospitality sector is one that most turn to for jobs, it is also an industry seeing high attrition rates. As a leader, one must be equipped with the skill to retain staff to guarantee top-notch services and cost optimization.
Launching something new is both an exciting opportunity and a responsibility. Share with us a deep dive into your process for these new launches.
We all know change is the only constant. In order to attract new patrons and retain the existing ones, we need to offer something brand new. Before unveiling our new menus or the recently retrofitted and renovated rooms, we conduct thorough market research that involves understanding the current trends, customers’ needs and their wants.
We then believe in the concept and apply the humanized ideas at touchpoints with the consumers to maximize their retention. We deep dive in making the stay and meal immersive for all our patrons for which we keep retrofitting our food and beverage menus with new-age innovative recipes while also paying attention to the ambience to connect with the audience.
What are the attributes you look for while selecting or hiring?
Every talent is unique in their way to tackle tasks at hand. While selecting the talent, I see and evaluate the candidate’s potential to grow, their out-of-the-box thinking abilities and their educational background.
What is your favorite interview question & why?
My preferred question to the candidates is “How is the industry evolving and how would they act to make the hotel to be at par with it?”
This question gives a summary about the individual’s understanding about the industry and their problem-solving capabilities along with their personality while answering the questions.
Share some of your secrets in keeping an engaged, safe, and happy team.
A strong and engaged team is that which is involved in all the decisions that lead to success or learnings. I trust in involving the staff in all the decision-making process that involves brainstorming sessions. Looking at the larger picture, every individual wants to thrive in their career path and showing them the path to achieve their dreams keeps them engaged with their purpose in the long run.
Share with us some new learnings from this project for you, personally.
The biggest learning for me is to learn How to make a heritage hotel profitable & successful which is very difficult in the current times given the Hotel is about 30-40 years old while being surrounded by fierce competition.
Hard work yields rewards, especially in an industry witnessing constant growth and a persistent demand for highly skilled and experienced hospitality professionals.
Eating butter out of my grandma's hands while she churned home made white butter every morning for breakfast. Having that when I was three, I clearly remember it. The love had a lot of flavour, better than the ingredients.
Hotels unlike other Industries require service to come from within or Heart as I would like to say. Either you have it in you or you don’t.
EXCELLENCE Is NOT an ACT, But a HABIT!
An ideal hospitality professional is characterized by a combination of interpersonal finesse, a genuine passion for hospitality and to diverse situations, a keen eye for detail, and a commitment to continuous learning.
The pivotal turn came in 2011 when I assumed the role of Head Housekeeper at Denis Private Island in Seychelles, marking a significant milestone in my career. Throughout my journey, I’ve had the privilege of spearheading the opening of three notable pre-opening projects, encompassing housekeeping and laundry management. These ventures spanned across two international locations and one in India, each adding a distinctive chapter to my professional repertoire.
In pursuit of a holistic approach to dining, the year 2024 will witness a surge in the popularity of balanced meals. The concept of Thalis, featuring a diverse array of nutrients, will transcend specific cuisines, becoming a prevalent trend.
Hotel managers and operating managers should have a strong grasp of understanding cash flow and flow through. This skill involves the ability to track and manage the movement of cash into and out of the business, and more importantly, to understand and maximize the "flow through" rate.
How well you engage and communicate with the customer while ensuring the organization’s values and vision are upheld all the time is the key here.
My advice to someone aspiring to be a Hotel General Manager is to cultivate a diverse skill set, continuously seek learning opportunities, develop strong leadership abilities, prioritize guest satisfaction, and always lead by example with integrity and passion for the industry.
Working in different countries provides students with a broader perspective and exposure to diverse cultures, which is valuable in the hospitality industry.
Each recipe is a creative genius of someone who is willing to think out of the box and that is an important characteristic that a chef should possess and be able to appreciate that same quality in others.
We are continuously evolving to meet the changing needs and preferences of our guests, leveraging technology and innovation to enhance the guest experience. Our focus on sustainability and community engagement is also a key part of our future vision.
The hospitality industry scenario in India is moving quickly. My advice is to stay flexible and keep learning. Change is good, whether it is in tech or in what our guests need. The heart of hospitality, making guests feel at home, will always be the same. Keep improving your people skills and your passion for service. The future looks promising, and I’m excited to see how newcomers will shape it.
In a conversation with Hospemag, Gaurav Bhardwaj, the proprietor of BENO, a distinctive breakfast café-bar located in Benaulim, a coastal village in South Goa, reveals insights into his careful curation of India’s largest gin bar at BENO. He discusses the process of putting together and showcasing the various gin brands at the bar, the uniqueness of the breakfast café-bar concept, the diverse menu and how these factors position BENO as a formidable player in Goa’s culinary scene.
To succeed in the hotel industry first you have to be passionate and stubborn. Believe in yourself, just focus on your goal with consistency.
I think to be a successful Chef one needs to have presence of mind as we are playing with different ingredients and we should understand them better and their combinations apart from a passion and love for cooking.
One of the highlights of my journey has been the involvement in the preopening phase of several hotels. This exposed me to the challenges and excitement of setting up a new property, honing my skills in strategic planning and operational execution.
Homemade and handpicked ingredients have become our identity in the process of balancing healthy options and top-notch taste. We prioritize quality ingredients, culinary innovation, and a cozy cafe ambiance.
Arjun Waney and Danny Meyer, I admire them the most. Arjun and Danny are more than just restaurateurs – they’re architects of experiences.
It is important not to give in to failures. We all have our good and bad days. A great guest comment can make your day.
Resilience is key—weathering challenges while upholding service standards. Above all, it's a passion for growth that keeps the industry moving forward, embracing innovation and striving for constant improvement.
Luxury Hospitality will mean more high end technologies, so the guests will be overwhelmed with joy! In the rooms, in restaurants, spa, gym, pools, banquet, and more… As well I would love to see the front desk disappear, so people do not have to do check-in and check-out. Meals could be order by looking at an interactive photos system on an IPad placed in the rooms, and orders will go directly to the concerned kitchens.
We are continuously working around ideas that have a touch of luxury & the warmth of home setting us apart from other functioning brands & their services.
We in our Institute are also trying to build a work culture for our students, where we invite the industry for weekend jobs for our students. This initiative called "Weekend Skilling" was well received this year and 70 of our students were selected.
A successful chef is like a passionate artist in the kitchen. They make delicious meals that make your taste buds dance.