Senior service

I came to England from Spain in 1958. This country has been very good to me and I love it with all my heart. Like everywhere, life has changed a lot here since that time, and not always for the best. In my business, I note that people don't relax over a meal in the way they used to. It's much more a rat race now.

Although I'll be 69 in May, I still work up to 70 hours a week and yet I have as much energy as I ever had - unlike some of the younger staff members. For instance, I'm often up at 4am to be at the hotel for 5.30am to get ready for breakfast. As restaurant manager, my first job is to get a cup of tea for the chef, who usually looks half-dead at that time.

The youngsters serving breakfast between 7am and 9.30am have often been out to clubs or whatever, and are so tired in the mornings that they are leaning against the sideboard with the look of dogs with their tongues hanging out. I say to them: "If ever I look like that, please lay me down on the carpet." If the job ever starts to exhaust me, then I'll retire.

Breakfast can be the most dodgy meal. I'm like a yo-yo, as I have to be there to greet guests as they arrive but also I'll be helping out with the tea and toast because, out of six servers, two might fail to turn up. Sometimes I'll call in the hall porter to help. You can't give the guests any excuses. During the week these are business people and are in a hurry. You can't tell them to come back tomorrow just because you are short-staffed.

After breakfast it's all about laying up for lunch at noon and doing the same thing again, except that by now the staff have woken up and it's more relaxed. I don't eat very much, apart from something like an omelette.

I take a break in the afternoons and go home at about 3.30pm. Then I'll usually have something Spanish with my wife who, like me, is from northern Spain. Often that means a paella, done the proper way, which means sautéing the ingredients very slowly, mixing two cups of water to one cup of rice, boiling it slowly, mixing everything together, covering it with a cloth and then putting it into the oven.

I'm back at the hotel for about 5.30pm, getting ready for dinner. Often I won't be home until about midnight.

I was amazed and delighted to get the English Tourism Council award last year. I wasn't expecting it, because it was via nominations from Sunday Telegraph readers who have been guests here. It was so thrilling and so memorable.

The essential qualities in this job are to be friendly, helpful and polite. If someone is rude to you, the natural reaction is to want to be rude in return, but if you can force yourself not to react in those few seconds, you have a really good chance of turning the situation around.

I can usually spot a troublesome customer when they come through the door. It then usually starts with them not finding anything on the menu that they want, etc. I think some people prefer complaining to having a good time.

My motivation comes from an inner strength and a love for what I do, and knowing that I've helped give the customer a really good time.

Sharing a meal in a restaurant with friends or family is one of the best experiences in life, and I try to make sure my customers remember their visits. When you receive thanks in return, you get such a sense of achievement. It's a wonderful feeling.