Human Resources

📌 Cloudbeds, a hospitality management technology firm, appoints Linda Vallner as Vice President for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Vallner, with expertise from Protel Hotelsoftware and Oracle Hospitality, particularly as Director of OPERA Product Suite, aims to transform the industry standard. Cloudbeds, founded in 2012 and recognized by Hotel Tech Report and World Travel Awards, serves properties in over 150 countries and was listed in Deloitte’s Technology Fast 500 in 2023.

🏨 Ana Atienza became Guest Relations Manager at the InterContinental Mark Hopkins San Francisco, where she oversees guest satisfaction. After studying hotel and restaurant management in the Philippines, Ana chose hospitality over broadcasting. She started her career as a barista and management trainee in the Philippines before advancing in the hospitality industry in San Francisco. The episode discusses the value of customer service, the challenges at the front desk, and the need for passion and patience in hospitality. Ana's advice includes not taking things personally and focusing on guest interactions. The discussion also highlights San Francisco's allure for visitors. 📅 August 25, 2024.

🍴 Senior Food & Beverage Editor Bret Thorn has been with Nation’s Restaurant News since 1999 and Restaurant Hospitality since 2016. He launched the podcast "In the Kitchen with Bret Thorn" and wrote "Kitchen Dish" for The New York Sun from 2005 to 2008. Educated at Tufts University (BA in History, magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa) and Le Cordon Bleu Paris, he also studied in China and worked for ABC News during the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests. Thorn won the 2006 Jesse H. Neal Award and authored entries in the Oxford Encyclopedia and Companion in 2012 and 2015, respectively. He's a Disciples d’Escoffier inductee as of 2014.

🚿 Ansie Turner, Executive Housekeeper at City Lodge Hotel at OR Tambo International Airport, leads a 365-room hotel's team. Started her career at The Don Hotels and joined City Lodge Hotels on 1 September 1999. The hotel features a #Café restaurant, bar, three boardrooms, fitness room, and pool. It operates 24/7 due to close airport proximity. Turner's nurturing leadership has shaped a disciplined yet caring team, starting her day at 4am to align with her staff.

🍴 Chef Taz Sarhane was appointed head chef of Shoreditch restaurant Cycene in January 2023. Cycene, part of James and Christie Brown's Blue Mountain School, is ranked 48th in the UK. Sarhane plans to evolve the restaurant’s 10-course tasting menu, priced at £155, using seasonally available ingredients and preservation techniques. The Browns will update the restaurant's aesthetic in the coming month, including uniforms, artwork, and crockery. Cycene, launched in 2022 and earning a Michelin star within five months, seeks to highlight seasonal British produce under Sarhane's leadership.

💸 Hospitality industry faces a high employee turnover rate, estimated between 70-80%. Hospitality America, led by Corporate Director of Operations Justin Deyo with 20 years of experience, addresses this issue through mentorship, aiming to create a culture of value, support, and empowerment. Mentors will convey guest service protocols and best practices to mentees. Statistics show 90% of mentored workers feel content, mentoring increases promotion chances by five times, and 76% of workers believe mentorship is essential for career success. Since the pandemic, mentoring initiatives have increased by 30%. Hospitality America's mentors embody the company's PEACH culture to foster success. CEO Ben Campbell emphasizes mentorship's role in career progression and leadership development within the hospitality industry.

📖 Joanna Fantozzi, with over seven years in the industry, is a Senior Editor for Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality since August 2021. Holding a bachelor’s degree from The College of New Jersey and a master’s from CUNY, she joined Informa’s Restaurants and Food Group in 2018. Fantozzi has written for The New York Times, Forbes, and Vice, and has previously worked for Insider and The Daily Meal. Her expertise spans restaurant news, operator solutions, and political/cultural issues.

🍴 Bret Thorn, Senior Food & Beverage Editor for Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality since 1999, writes on food trends and F&B coverage. Host of "In the Kitchen with Bret Thorn" podcast and columnist for The New York Sun from 2005 to 2008. Magna cum laude from Tufts University, studied French cooking at Le Cordon Bleu, Paris. Won 2006 Jesse H. Neal Award, inducted into Disciples d’Escoffier in 2014, and authored entries in Oxford food reference works (2012, 2015). Lives in Brooklyn, N.Y.

🍴 Ben Murphy, head chef since 2017 at Launceston Place, a D&D London restaurant in Kensington, West London, is set to depart on October 31, 2024, without specifying his next move. His career started at Koffmann’s at The Berkeley in 2010, followed by roles in France and other prestigious London restaurants. In 2022, Murphy was named National Chef of the Year. Launceston Place opened in 1986 and D&D London acquired it in 2017. Murphy’s successor is not yet announced.

🍴 Allegra, a restaurant located in East London, will close after five successful years. General Manager Ashley Shaw cites 'inextricable changes' in London's culinary scene as the reason. The announcement follows the departure of Patrick Powell, who launched Allegra in 2019 and achieved a listing in the UK's Top 100 Restaurants. Allegra's final service is scheduled for Saturday, 31 August. The Stratford hotel will soon announce a new dining concept to replace Allegra.