The Food & Beverage Manager at Royal Malewane takes overall responsibility for the dining experiences across all our properties - The Lodge, Farmstead and Waterside. Together with the Executive Chef, the F&B Manager will ensure that all dining operations and venues run smoothly, providing an unforgettable guest experience. They will ensure that the exceptional service standards of The Royal Portfolio are upheld, with a heavy focus placed on staff development and training within the front of house teams. All of this to ensure that Royal Malewane contributes to the purpose of the company, which is "to give our guests a complete experience and a perfect stay".
MAIN DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
Guest experience and strategy
- Planning wine experience in accordance with menus
- Ensure guests experience are welcoming genuine and warm in dining area.
- Ensure guests experience is personalised
- Recording guests’ preferences for future stays and ensuring all guest preferences are met.
- Manage and update guest’s info on Opera, or and over to lodge manager ensure other properties received interchange and preferences
- Report negative feedback to senior management, Lodge Managers, Director, GM and owners
F&B Department Management
- Leading F&B team by attracting, recruiting, training, and appraising talented personnel
- Overseeing all service periods in the restaurant
- Ensuring dietary requirements are seen too and followed during service periods.
- Coach staff according to code of conduct keeping HR involved
- Ensuring that all decisions are made with company’s interest been put first, while ensuring the safety of our guest.
- Ensure that all the Restaurant décor and setup are done and handover regarding guests communicated to staff regarding dietary requirements
- Ensuring compliance with licensing, hygiene and health and safety legislation/guidelines
- Producing staff rotas, handling administration and paperwork
- Establish targets, KPI’s, policies and procedures.
- Comply with all health and safety regulations
- Ensure wait staff mise-en-place and preparation are done on shifts
- Maintain an eye on guest feedback and make improvements where necessary.
- Lead Service excellence workshops
- ESS management, managing staff working hours, performance reviews, disciplinaries, etc.
- Training rostering and facilitation of training
- Staff uniform ordering and checking.
Financially sustainable
- Agreeing and managing budgets
- Overseeing stock levels
- Ordering supplies of beverage, consumables and asset stock (radios, coffee equipment cutlery and crockery etc)
- Ensuring best practice and lean management applied to process of stock management and stock count. Always finding new effective ways to manage stock without compromising guest experience.
- Maintain good relationship with suppliers especially guest activity suppliers
- Ensure that our suppliers deliver a 5-star service to our guests and act in line with our expectations.
- Understand new trends in beverage offering, work on costings
- Ensure that guests get exposed to the TRP Foundation
- Preparing and presenting quarterly reviews/ staffing/budget reports
- Keeping statistical and financial records, assessing and improving financial sustainability
Effective & Efficient Communication
- Communication between guests and all departments to ensure that operations run smoothly at lodge
- Handling customer enquiries and complaints
- Ensure that relationships between all properties and venues are maintained.
- Emails with agents and guests in advance to adhere to special requests and guest needs
- Identify customers’ needs and respond proactively to all their concerns
- Provide a two-way communication and nurture an ownership environment with emphasis in motivation and teamwork
Purpose & Values, BHAG (Big, Hairy, Audacious Goal)
- Drive the BHAG: To be the best lodge by 2025
- Induction of new staff in the F&B department
- Promote our P&V with guest and team
- Recognise, reward and uplift team members.
- Communication and buy-in to P&V’s
- Promote conservation and community engagement.
REQUIREMENTS & QUALIFICATIONS
- At least 5 years' management experience in the Front of House department of a 5* hotel or lodge
- Tertiary Qualification in Hospitality Management OR Culinary school Diploma or Degree in Food Service Management or related field
- WSET - Completion of Cape Wine Academy accreditation is advantageous
- An awareness of international trends in food and beverage
- Keen interest in wines, both locally and internationally.
- Understanding of all hotel management best practices and relevant laws
- An understanding of South African labour laws, and experience in leading and managing a successful team
- Systems - Micros (POS), Opera (PMS), Microsoft Office
- Driver's license is essential
- Passionate about the Food and Beverage Industry.
- Attention to detail with a Sense of urgency
- Assertiveness, Organised, patient, go -getter, Teamwork skills
- Diligence and self-motivation to meet deadlines and keep on top of your job
- Willingness/ability to share information and teach and inspire others
- The ability to co-ordinate the day-to-day operations of a lodge to provide superior service
- Keen eye for basic foundations of restaurant service
- Ability to manage conflict without aggression (unhappy guest) and be flexible to guests’ changes
- The ability to remain calm under stress, with excellent problem-solving skills
- Financial management abilities
- A development approach to staff
- Mastery in delegating multiple tasks
- A good awareness of health and safety
- Ability to work flexible hours
It is important that the candidate is able to work as part of a team and is a good cultural fit for The Royal Portfolio.
South African citizenship is advantageous. A valid work permit is essential if you are not in possession of a South African ID document.
All new appointments at The Royal Portfolio’s properties will need to show proof of vaccination against Covid 19.
