martin lynch
I've been travelling since 1988 and have held posts in Bahrain, Botswana, Greece and on cruise ships, so I'm used to dealing with different countries and cultures - in fact I thrive on it. I'm really saddened by the recent bombings in Istanbul as I've lived here for seven years and haven't seen anything like that before. But I'm a seasoned traveller and overall it doesn't put me off living here.
Easy journey
In Istanbul my day begins at 7am. I live in the hotel so I have an easy journey to work. I haven't eaten breakfast in years, but I do need a cup of coffee, not the Turkish stuff as it tastes like aspirin, but traditional coffee, with sugar.
Then I get to work making cakes, pâtisserie and any baked goods that might be needed, depending on how many functions we've got on. Daily, we might bake 400 to 500 croissants, 200 to 300 Danish pastries, doughnuts, or pains au chocolat.
I head up a team of five, all of them Turkish. We converse in English as my Turkish is very limited. When I first started they treated me like God, just because I was a foreigner. I could do no wrong. Even now they won't criticise me, although they will ask questions if they think what I've done is wrong. It works well. I used to be very impatient, but I've had that knocked out of me.
Once the morning baking session is over I start on lunch. There are three restaurants in the hotel, including a French one, so expectations are high. With a small team I try to do some sort of training most days, taking individuals to one side to teach them a skill such as chocolate work. I don't eat lunch either, except occasionally on a Sunday. Sometimes I go to the cafeteria for a cup of tea, but not that often because it's so smoky.
Generally I don't take a break as I prefer to work straight through. My wife and son who used to be out here have both just moved back to the UK, so I don't have any reason to stop work now. Sometimes I finish at 5pm or 6pm, sometimes midnight. Then it's a short lift ride back to my apartment in the hotel.
There are advantages to living in, of course, but it means you're always at work. I refuse to have a mobile phone here. If they want me they can find me, if they can't - tough.
Often in the evening I'll order some room service or sometimes I'll cook for myself. The one thing they don't do over here is curry, as they don't seem to know how to mix up the spices. So when I get the urge to cook, I make a curry.
Then it's a shower, television and bed, usually between about 10pm and midnight. At the weekend I'll meet friends, usually expats. Sometimes we'll go out to eat, although I do get a bit fed up with kebabs.
Just a minute…
Do you miss the UK?
Not at all. One of the best bits about this industry is being able to move to different countries. And you end up making friends wherever you are.
What have been your favourite countries?
Botswana and South Africa. I loved the whole way of life, and the climate. I lived in Johannesburg for a year and never experienced any kind of trouble.
What would be your ideal job?
Running my own business, maybe something like a gourmet pub. I can't see myself working in London as I don't think I could afford to live there. I want to live somewhere where I can be spontaneous.
Where was your most recent holiday?
I haven't had one for two years. I've recently bought a house in England and my last leave was spent doing the decorating, so it didn't feel like a holiday. Before that it was Florida.
FACTFILE
Conrad Hilton, Istanbul
Bedrooms and suites: 585
Business/conference facilities: 3,000sq m conference centre, 24-hour business centre
instanbulinfo@conradhotels.com
Conrad Hotels is the luxury end of the Hilton group. It was established in 1985 and there are 15 Conrad hotels operating in major gateway cities and resort destinations worldwide.
