Passion play is the secret to success for young staff
There are certain fixtures in the Caterer - and, indeed, the hospitality - calendar that are always eagerly awaited. The Chef conference, the Cateys, and Hotelier of the Year are three examples. Or maybe the Acorn Awards.
Caterer is once again asking for nominations for 30 of the industry's high-achievers aged under 30. "Thirty under 30" is the Acorn slogan. Looking back at the pedigree of previous winners, one attribute is common to all - passion.
Michael Purtill, now of Turnberry but an Acorn winner in 1994 while working for Chewton Glen, says that the Acorn Awards "highlight people who have a passion for the industry, and they demonstrate how quickly you can rise in the industry if you've got that passion… "
It is said that passion fades while boredom stays. That might be right in a romantic sense, but wrong when it comes to the passion of people working in hospitality. Passion in this industry is an important ingredient for success. It may be a passion for food, a passion for service, or simply a passion for finding out and doing better. It is felt by senior managers and junior beginners.
And there's a lot of it about at the moment. Ed Cheeseman of the Fitzwilliam Arms, near Peterborough, says (Letters, page 20) that taking his chefs to the market creates "an overwhelming passion [for food]". Peter Catesby talks with passion about surrendering the independence of Swallow Hotels to Whitbread. And Alan Parker of Whitbread talks passionately about taking over Swallow.
Even David Ford, chief executive of Gardner Merchant, has demonstrated a certain passion by agreeing to take a starring role in the recent Back To The Floor television documentary. He may have found it a challenge to work as a waiter, but at least he was driven to rediscover what it is like to work on the front line. And he has the passion to improve what he found.
This is an important lesson. It is sometimes easy to take passion for granted, to assume that, like medical professionals or teachers, hospitality workers have a vocational passion that will endure whatever the circumstances. It won't. Passion needs encouragement.
Running a business is difficult and full of distractions. Striving for profit or cutting through an increasing web of bureaucracy is time-consuming. But it is important to take the time to encourage and nurture the passion of staff.
And there can be no better way of doing this than by nominating young staff for an Acorn Award. Being nominated is, in itself, a mark of recognition. To win an award is the ultimate accolade, and it reflects not only the achievements of the winner but also the commitment of a company to nurture passion.
Forbes Mutch
Editor, Caterer & Hotelkeeper
