What was your favorite part of the La Chanterelle experience?
The bonds that we made with our classmates while undertaking something that we all were a little nervous about at the start of the semester. Coming in as new first-year students is already a pretty big undertaking and a transition in and of itself, and there’s no better way to dive right into the Endicott experience than with La Chanterelle. As we learned new concepts and expanded our skill sets, we leaned on each other to make every service night successful.
Did you always know you wanted to go into hospitality? What do you love about the industry?
I knew I wanted to do something hospitality-related when I traveled to Poland with my grandparents and aunt before my senior year of high school. Embarking on such an amazing travel experience with my grandparents in the country they came from sparked an interest in me to do this for a living. We all love to travel, so I knew I wanted to play a part in making travel experiences for others as great of an experience as I like to have.
I wasn’t sure exactly what area of the industry I wanted to focus on, which was why the program at Endicott was so great in giving us an outline of what every sector entails and, more importantly, how they all interact with each other in crafting the guest experience. I’ve found a happy place in hotels, as you get to see all aspects of the industry, from how the beds are made in the rooms (I’m happy to share that secret) to how to plan a 500-person event from start to finish.
Where do you currently work and what are your job duties? How does your current role align with your major?
I’m the Assistant Reservations Manager at the Hilton Boston Park Plaza, the second largest hotel in Boston where I work primarily with all groups, meetings, and conferences, ensuring guest reservations, billing profiles, and attendee preferences for VIPs are noted and actioned.
Hilton, which was recently named the world’s number one workplace by Fortune, has a very simple yet potent vision: To fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality by delivering exceptional experiences. I think back to La Chanterelle when I read the part about exceptional experiences. No matter the role a person takes in the hospitality industry, what matters at the end of the day is that we do our part to make our guests satisfied and feel at home.
What are the takeaways from La Chanterelle that you use often in your current role?
One of my biggest takeaways from La Chanterelle has to be attention to detail. We may have thought that table sets with evenly spaced plates, silverware, and glassware were a pain, but they give off the impression of sophistication and elegance in the fine dining restaurant. As we grew in our experiences at La Chanterelle, we honed in on the small details to make the tangible and intangible aspects of the guest experience flawless and seamless.
I’ve kept the small details in mind throughout my career since then, making sure that I don’t leave any stone unturned, as it could ultimately impact the guest experience. For instance, if I don’t have a billing profile setup for one conference attendee out of 500, this one flaw could still negatively impact the organization’s desire to return to the hotel if one of their guests has an issue with a reservation.
Where do you hope to see La Chanterelle in another 30 years?
Hopefully still running! The amazing thing about La Chanterelle is that it has truly stood the test of time, most recently through the pandemic, to still allow Gulls a place to showcase their skills in the non-traditional classroom environment. I’ve been glad to return and meet the new students since I graduated, and I’ve been amazed at some of the newer concepts brought in to enhance the experience. Never in my time there as I was stuffing escargot shells did I think I’d see arancini on the menu, but those were amazing! Part of being a hospitality professional is having a global mindsight and appreciation for other cultures, so I am enjoying seeing the La Chanterelle experience evolve and introduce new ways of cultural exploration through fine dining cuisine.
What advice do you have for current or prospective students considering either the hospitality program or taking the La Chanterelle courses?
If you love working with people, have an appreciation for fine dining, or just love working as part of a team, La Chanterelle and Endicott’s hospitality management program is the place for you.
While I was working in the Office of Admissions during my four years at Endicott, I brought many prospective families through the doors of La Chanterelle to showcase some of the opportunities they would have if they pursued the hospitality program. Just seeing the elegance of Misselwood and the ability to learn in a full-service kitchen was such an insightful moment for them. Luckily for Endicott (and me!), I saw a good handful of students that I toured commit to the College and have the same rewarding experience at La Chanterelle that I did. I was grateful that I was able to play even a small part in their decision to come to Endicott and experience what it has to offer.