All part of the service

Robert Smith, 42, is food and beverage co-ordinator at Birmingham College of Food, Tourism and Creative Studies, and co-author of Food and Beverage Service. He was also a judge at the World Skills Competition held in Seoul, South Korea, last month.

I usually begin my day being led along a canal towpath by my seven-and-a-half stone bull mastiff. This gives me a perspective on the day and a chance to think things through.

Theory classes start at the college at 9am. From 10am, we start preparing for lunchtime service in the three public restaurants at the college: a brasserie, a fine-dining restaurant and a pub-style restaurant.

I start by making sure all the staff are in place, then I begin organising the students. They take turns to be restaurant manager for the day and do the initial briefing.

We try to provide a professional service, using people who aren't fully trained. The briefing is a very important part. If a student gets that right, then everyone knows what they're doing and things usually go well.

I have to concentrate during service, watching students so that I can give feedback, as well as training and correcting the first years. I have to try to anticipate what they are going to do wrong. After service, we have a debriefing.

I go to my office around 2.30pm, where I deal with the mail, update my diary, work on strategies and the curriculum and, if there's time, do some reading. It's really important to keep up with what's going on in the industry and education and to make sure that the best aspects are reflected at the college.

Meetings for everyone

The afternoon is also the time I deal with restaurant and conference bookings and hold staff meetings. We discuss any problems and ways of ensuring consistency across all three restaurants. There are 23 full-time kitchen staff and seven part-time staff.

I also represent the department at weekly academic management team meetings and at industrial liaison boards.

I spend quite a lot of days out of college, too. I was involved in training England's entrant for the 36th World Skills Competition in Korea last month, so I often went to London to help with her training.

I also visit local hotels and restaurants to keep abreast of what's happening and to meet key people in the industry to see how their needs can be met in our curriculum.

I also see those in establishments that take students on placements, to discuss ways in which they and the student can get the most from the experience.

Sometimes I attend wine-tastings to keep up with current trends and to select wines for our restaurants. I also get involved with judging competitions. Recently, I've taken part in Britain's Best Waiter and Modern Apprentice of the Year.

Work in progress

The job is very demanding and tiring, but it's wonderful to watch students develop. They come in at 16, nervous and with no skills, and go away two or three years later as confident people, able to get fabulous jobs in the industry. I was a student at this college myself, so I know exactly what it's like and I tell students all about my experiences.

We often hold big functions and important dinners in the evenings. There can be 80 people all sitting there expectantly and things just have to be right - the college's excellent reputation is on the line.

I then chase up students who don't turn up, or talk to those who misbehave. I also take time to give praise where it's due. When I oversee evening service, it's usually about 10pm when I go home. If there are problems, it can be midnight.

I occasionally ask myself why I do it all, but I love the variety and the buzz you get from giving good service. I'm sure I wouldn't be happy if I slowed down.

interview by Susan Brookes

Just a minute…

What is your greatest achievement? My greatest achievement so far is becoming co-author of Food and Beverage Service. Having done the fifth edition, I'm now working on the sixth. It has been a really steep learning curve writing a book, and something I just never imagined I'd do.
Who would you like to invite to dinner? Any chef who doubts that they need good service. Good service makes the meal experience. The person I most enjoyed having to dinner and was most nervous about was Jean Tissier - he taught both me and my wife at the college years ago.
What would you say to Tony Blair? Well, we once did afternoon tea for the Labour Party and Cherie said, "Oh you should come to number 10 and do afternoon tea". Tony, I'm still waiting for that call.

Birmingham College of Food, Tourism and Creative Studies

Summer Row, Birmingham B3 1JB
Tel: 0121-604 1000
Web site:www.bcftcs.ac.uk

Number of students: more than 4,000
College principal: Eddie McIntyre. The college is one of the government's first 16 Centres of Vocational Excellence
The Brasserie: open for lunch daily Monday to Friday, also offers themed evenings
The Atrium: open Monday to Friday evenings, offers … la carte fine dining
The Cap and Gown: pub-style restaurant, open Monday to Friday, lunch and evenings
Restaurant bookings: 0121-604 1010