We meet Francesco L. for the past three years employed by one of the world's largest companies in the Cruise industry. Hired as a simple waiter aboard the fleet's flagship, in 36 months Francesco has climbed all the career rungs to become director of the on-board Italian restaurant.
The salary tripled and the satisfactions even more.
Editorial staff: Good morning Francis. How old are you and what is your current job title?
Francis: Good morning, I am 32 years old and I am food and beverage manager of Vesuvio, the on-board Italian restaurant.
Editorial staff: How many subordinates do you have and to whom do you respond?
Francis: I manage 18 people and answer only to the Hotel Director, who in the shipboard organization chart is one step below the Captain.
Editorial staff: How many place settings do you serve each day?
Francis: The ship holds nearly 4,000 passengers, but fortunately not all of them like Italian food, otherwise I wouldn't know where to hit the head. The daily average, between lunch and dinner, is around 350 covers.
Editorial staff: How many hours do you work a day?
Francis: I try to carve out at least 8 hours of rest, even if it is not continuous. Unfortunately, the problem with working on big ships is just the very stressful pace of work. So more than three months of boarding in a row is not possible. However, since I have been Food and Beverage manager I also have a bigger cabin where I am on my own, so I am able to take a better break from the daily work stress.
Editorial staff: What do you do when the three months are over?
Francis: If I have less than a week off I stay in America (ed. note: the cruises take place between Alaska and Baja California). If I have longer periods I go back to Italy to see my parents and friends.
Editorial staff: Where were you born and where did you live?
Francis: I come from the south, from Apulia, from a seaside town, Bisceglie, a few kilometers south of Trani.
Editorial staff: What studies did you do, how did you find yourself in the world of Food?
Francis: I went to scientific high school, because my father wanted me to go to college later. He is an employee of Enel and he would have wanted me to major in business. I did half the exams in the three-year degree but then I couldn't take it anymore. It seemed too long and tiring a path, plus it gave no guarantee that I would then find a suitable job. So I started doing a variety of jobs, including in the nautical industry. I traveled the Mediterranean a bit, again for work, until a friend pointed me to a site where one could apply to work on cruise ships. Fortunately, I was doing well in English in high school, and I had spent a summer in Malta working in a restaurant, so I was okay in that respect.
Editorial staff: What is the most difficult thing about your job?
Francis: Motivating and convincing people to have the right mindset toward guests and toward service. Here, maybe the reason my career has been so fast is that I as an Italian have an innate sense of quality and hospitality. A newly uncorked red wine I smell it first, always, it's something I do automatically, no one taught me. The guys who work for me, who are mostly South American or Eastern European or Asian, these gestures don't come naturally and you have to teach them. And that makes a difference.
Editorial staff: How much do you currently earn?
Francis: With promotion to Food and Beverage Manager the salary went up to $3,000 per month. Plus production bonuses tied to restaurant turnover. Also consider that everything on board is free for me, so it's money I only get to spend when I go ashore. My bank account is very happy with this.
Editorial staff: What are your future plans?
Francis: In the last two years I have learned a lot. The American working world is tough but very stimulating because it is a constant challenge and they also give you the tools to do better and better. Also if you work seriously and with a minimum of intelligence they appreciate you and give you opportunities. They are very open, they don't discriminate, they are used to being in contact with people of all nationalities. Now I have a certain level of professionalism and my CV is becoming interesting. But for now I want to continue in my onboarding path as long as I can physically do it. Then I will see whether to seek employment as food and beverage manager in some high-end restaurant in Dubai or some other paradise for the super rich. Or to use the money set aside to open my own thing, not sure if in Italy or abroad. Probably more abroad. I miss a lot of things about Italy but not that claustrophobic feeling I used to get when I thought about my future.
Over here if you are not someone's child, or if you cannot rely on a recommendation, emerging on your own strength is virtually impossible. It's hard to go back to that mentality once you get out of it. With my profession as a food and beverage manager and my CV, I can easily find work almost anywhere in the world. Let's say I would like to take advantage of this opportunity.
Editorial staff: Francis, thank you for the time you were able to give us. You told us very interesting things. When do you have to re-embark?
Francis: In two days I have to be in Seattle. The ship has been stationary there for two weeks for refitting work. You are welcome, indeed, thank you for giving me the opportunity to tell my story. I hope I have been helpful to other Italian guys who, like me a few years ago, are wondering which path to take.
If you are also interested in becoming a Food and beverage manager today you can count on a course that reveals all the secrets of the trade and prepares you concretely for the profession. Ask for more information about our Master's program here.
