My 2nd InternshipI was assigned at Conrad Manila for my second internship. I felt humbled by the fact that I was their first intern by means of school endorsement and a bit pressured, as well, to perform my best in order to maintain the good reputation of my alma mater and help start a good partnership between Enderun and Conrad.
My internship started last June 4, 2018. I was required to finish 400 working hours by Enderun. However, Conrad had a requirement of 600 hours, applicable to all their interns, and that was what I followed. I finished my 600-hour internship, which was equivalent to 3 months, last September 5, 2018. As an intern, I was provided one meal a day, uniform similar to those of the regular employees, and a locker for my stuff.
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I was appointed to work in the food and beverages department. The hotel have four F&B outlets. First is The C lounge where one can enjoy afternoon tea selections as well as freshly brewed coffee and other specialty blends and treat oneself to the bar’s signature cocktails as the day winds down while enjoying panoramic sunset bay views.
Situated in the welcome lobby is the 2nd F&B outlet, the hotel’s coffee bar and boutique chocolatier; The Bru Coffee Bar. It is where tempting selection of hand-crafted pastry items and artisan confectionary are showcased. |
Third, The China Blue is the hotel’s restaurant which presents a vast selection of Chinese teas including the Organic Superfine Dragon Well Long Jing Green tea, complemented by a medley of dim sum, appetizers and specialty cold dishes, as well as an exquisite array of Chinese barbeque dishes.
Lastly, the outlet where my actual training took place, The Brasserie on 3. It is an all-day dining restaurant serving an extensive à la carte menu and buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner selection and is located at the 3rd level of the hotel. For breakfast, the weekday operation time of the resto is from 6 am to 10:30 am and is extend until 11 am during weekends. For lunch, weekday operations start at 12 nn and ends at 2:30 pm which is extended for another 30 minutes on weekends while dinner starts from 6 pm and ends at exactly 10:30 pm, both weekdays and weekends. |
BRASSERIE ON 3
Brasseries has a seating capacity of 236 and additions are made only during breakfast since, again, the occupancy is higher. There are 6 table stations; stations C1, C2, and B, which are the tables nearest to the buffet, and stations A, G, and Veranda are the tables with bayview. Per station, the hotel have “side stations” wherein utensils, cutleries, and other stuff needed for table setup are situated. Each stations also have assigned main stays, runners and bussers. An employee assigned as a main stay ensures that guests on their station are accommodated accordingly while a runner helps the main stay provide the needs of the guests like taking their orders and granting their requests. Lastly, a busser’s job is, from the word itself, bus out all utensils used by guests and bring it to the stewarding area where they are washed for the next setups. Aside from these stations are 2 private dining rooms; PDR1, which can accommodate 12 to 16 guests, and PDR2, which, on the other hand, accommodates 10 to 12 guests.
Breakfast is the busiest for the resto because it is the most prioritized meal by the inhouse guests, which normally ranges from 300 to 400 pax per day and increases by approximately 25% or more on weekends, considering the fact that there is a first come first serve basis for breakfasts at the hotel. During lunch and dinner, it is not as busy since reservations are accepted during these times. |
On my first week at the Brasserie, they helped me get familiar with everything about the resto and the flow of their service there. I didn’t have a hard time coping up quickly as I already have experienced working in the field from my past internship and the voluntary works i’ve done before and, of course, with the help of the team members who generously and willingly shared their knowledge to me. After several weeks of working in the dining area, they gave me a chance to experience the other parts of the resto. |
First, they transferred me to the receptions where I, along with the regular employees, welcomed the guests, asked for their names, room number, and their total number, if in groups, and lead them to their tables. For groups of 2-4 pax, we are tasked to ask the guests where they want to sit but for guests of five and above, the resto have designated long tables and we directly lead them there. Assuming it is for breakfast, from there, we ask guests if they would like to have coffee, tea, or hot chocolate and endorse them to the main stay if they have breakfast inclusion.
The only challenge of being a receptionist is when the resto is jam-packed and there are no more seats available, we have to be very patient in dealing with waiting guests. Sometimes, if the guests starts to get annoyed, we suggest them to C lounge since they also offer buffet. |
I also had the opportunity to work at the bar where I learned all proper international and Condrad standard from sanitation to preparations before operation. I’ve learned the different types of beverage that the hotel offers; from alcoholic and to non-alcoholic. In Brasserie, breakfast is inclusive of the beverages stated in the previous paragraphs, coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and cold juices, which we prepare as early as possible, while there are no beverages included during lunch and dinner. In addition, I was shown the important things used inside the bar, the product supplier and other essentials such as mixing cocktails, making juices and shakes, and using machinery for coffees.
What I found challenging in the bar is when a bulk of guests starts to arrive, and orders pile up. One should really keep his calm to avoid mistakes. |
Lastly, I was also assigned as a buffet man. I was in charge of all the things used in the buffet table as well as the cleanliness of that area. I made sure that everything needed was present to avoid conflicts. When the chefs needed something regarding that area, I was the one to provide for them and accomplish whatever they needed me to do. Being a buffet man I was forced to act quickly as possible while making sure that everything is still done right in order to make sure that there will be no guest complaints.
Like the other areas, it is really a challenge when the occupancy is high because you are tasked to work double time. I had to make sure that before the operations start, there were sufficient utensils and all the other stuff needed in the buffet table, if I foresee a possible shortage, I had to borrow things from the stewarding are and make sure that after the operations, all is returned and cleaned. |
During the internship, I was in the hotel for 9 hours everyday (except fo my day-off which is random); 8 working hours and an hour break. I never actually had a chance to serve during dinner because interns are strictly allowed in the hotel only until 5 pm. My duty starts at 7 am and ends at 4 pm while there are times that I work from 5 am to 2 pm, that is when it is the busiest during breakfast. Overall its was a fun learning experience.
I have learned so many things; from the luxury stand point of hotel service to the small details that were key in providing quality service, their sequence of service, communicating with guests, and so much more. Also, I could say that I did a great job for earning commendations from the guests I have served during this internship. |
This whole experience helped me build my self-confidence, especially when interacting with others, and also helped me realize the importance of asking questions in order to learn new things or develop my existing skills, which I believe will benefit me in my future endeavors.
With these things, I would like to express my utmost gratitude to all the individuals who helped me through out this whole process; from the HR department, the managers, and the team members not only of the Brasserie on 3 but most importantly, of Conrad Manila. All the knowledge that I have acquired, all your help, and all the fun moments will forever be treasured. Despite me being just an intern, the people at Conrad have treated me as their own and as a family. They were supportive and very approachable and most of all, they have respected me like a true employee.
Moreover, to my alma mater, Enderun Colleges, and all my instructors... this program wouldn’t have been possible without your help and guidance. I am forever grateful that you have seen my potentials and trained me to become great in this field of work. My 1st and 2nd internship helped me to become better and worthy of my degree in Hotel Administration. Now, I can truly say that I am ready to face the world. I will always take pride for being a graduate of Enderun Colleges and continue uplifting its name wherever I may be, bringing all the things that I have learned and apply them to whatever I do. I will never forget to look back, whoever I may become, I will always have the heart of a TITAN.