“My first job as a hospitality person was in the engineering department after that I move to the front office as a Bell Boy.”

— Ahmed Azzam

Editor: Tell us about your journey. How did it all start?

I started my career at a very early age. My dream has always been to become an F&B person however it was very difficult for me to get into the F&B as I did not have experience. My first job as a hospitality person was in the engineering department after that I move to the front office as a Bell boy.

Then I got my chance in F&B at Taj exotica resort and spa Maldives where spend 9 years after that I have worked in Jumeriah and Centara Hotels and resort. From where under the leadership of Our Area General manager Mr Voytek and Resort Manager Mr Sergio and F&B Manager Mr Saleem I have developed myself as an Assistant F&B manager

Editor: What do you think it takes to succeed in this industry?

Food and Beverage Profession where accuracy & consistency is an important issue, these two things must need to keep in mind to move forward.

Learning and developing yourself and adding more experience and grab the opportunity with both hands it’s good to take the risk, challenge yourself

Editor: What are the attributes you look for while selecting or hiring? If someone wants to work with you, what should they do?

Eye for details and an organized and positive attitude person I always choose to hire. I’m efficient and highly organized. This enables my team to be as productive as possible on the job

Editor: What according to you can trainees do while they are training at hotels to make it a win-win for them & the hotel/unit?

Trainees have a tender mind, they can also bring innovative and creative idea to make the work environment smoother. It’s a win-win for both - hotel and their personal growth & development.

Editor: What are some of the trends you see impacting the hospitality industry?

Micromanaging, stope your team to reach departments and hotel target and one of the facts the staff are demotivating and trends that impacting is favouritism in selecting candidates for the job and lack of empowerment

Editor: Tech is now an enabler for great hospitality. Can you share with us some of the tech that goes into creating your guest experience?

It's well known that technology is only as useful as the user and the purposes for which it is being used. Recognition technology is one of the most important emerging tech trends in general, but its potential uses in the hospitality industry are especially interesting. In particular, biometrics is being used to usher in a new age of seamless authentications, and this could benefit hotel processes and customer

Editor: Two things you would like to change in the industry.

Staff Retention and Recruitment

Unsociable hours, regular "on-calls" – limited career advancement and low pay are just some of the disadvantages of working in the hospitality industry – and the reason why it's so hard to recruit and retain good staff. One day I get the privilege to change - I will definitely pay attention to these two things

Editor: What can we expect in the coming year?

Despite the growth of technology and ongoing desire for convenience, customers still want a personalized experience when they visit the hotel. Food & Beverages will be act accordingly as it is personal in almost every way. The future of food & Beverage will be more customize & personalised. There will be more options and services for people to customize as per their preferences

Featured