10 commandments at Oriental Hotel, The Ritz, Colonial Inn and Radius

People at Radius are incrediblely nice to me. They've assembled great team of aspiring cooks. But there is nothing impressed me most today (September 16) than sitting in the T enrouted to work. I read do/don't list of Radius which is exactly the same as one I got from Alta Strada. I thought it was brilliant idea to list things out. It does set a tone of what an ideal workplace and teamwork should be.Then I read 10 commandments of Radius. That one is even much better. And that is probably the reason why I wanna write about it.

While training at Oriental Hotel Bangkok during my sopheremore year in college (the origin of Mandarin Oriental Hotel), I was handed something like Radius's 10 commandments. I read it and thought "Man, no wonder that hotel set such a benchmark and new standard for all worldwide hotels to follow. I love the feeling and environment of an oganized workplace. Employees at those places work with passion and enthusiam. It makes you feel great being there. Since I was young, my parents took me to dine at these 5 stars hotels. And I just absorbed and memorized it as much as I could. When I ordered any dish, I would not just eat it. I tried to look how it was cooked and plated. I looked at how employees left us such memorable service than the overall food experience.

Then working for David Grossberg and Jurgen Demisch, both had deep roots in fine hotels. David and I used to discuss about 5 stars hotel vs the three stars we worked together. The mentality and commitment of people working at different level of standard are like heaven and earth. At the Ritz, there is also 10 commandments as well as their motto. So when I went to Colonial Inn in Concord to run F&B Operation there. I wrote our version of 10 hospitality commandments. I singlely handed it out to every employees at the first monthly meeting. They gave me like "what da.....!" look. Then I made them memorize it or they would be handed extra side works or more team assignment. In addition to these actions, I also posted it at every POS terminal as well as in public place so the guests could see. The result? It slowly planted into employees' memory and created more self awareness, sense of pride, and better commitment. People are the key to business success. It doesn't matter whether it is front of the house and back of the house staffs. We are on the same team, same boat and working toward one direction. And customers would start looking at them (their service staffs) differently.

These 10 commandments do help create such a successful culture at work place and make you feel responsible for success and failure of a hopitality establishment.

I wanted to post Radius 10 commandments but didn't want to offend anyone. May be I will do it in the future. Just an incredible mission statement to me.
.
.
.

Quote of the Day

.

“Cookery is not chemistry. It is an art. It requires instinct

and taste rather than exact measurements.”

.

Marcel Boulestin