Exquisite Taste

Nigel Johnston

- Maitre D' at The Plantation Grill

Q: What are your responsibi­lities?

N: As Maitre D’ of The Plantation Grill I have many varying responsibi­lities such as maintainin­g the high service standards that our guests expect when they enter The Plantation Grill through staff training and motivation. I also liaise with our executive chef and corporate chef for some new ideas to refresh our menu, which changes seasonally.

Q: What makes a typical day?

N: There is no such thing as a typical day here in Bali or DoubleSix Luxury Hotel! I am lucky to start in the afternoon, maybe after tennis or a run on the beach. I will have meetings with the food and beverage manager, hotel manager and general manager going over revenue from the previous day, then a briefing with The Plantation Grill’s staff before each service.

Q: Your best attribute?

N: I show empathy towards both the guest and the staff and have a 20+ year career in hospitalit­y.

Q: Team player or team leader? N: Absolutely need to switch between both.

Q: Who has been the most influentia­l figure in your career to date? N: I have had many influentia­l figures from when I first began café work in Melbourne, with Natalie Shostak in a humble law court café in 1997. Geoff Lindsay said to me when I started work at Pearl Restaurant in 2002 “if you work at Pearl you will have a career” and of course, Robert Marchetti from Icebergs in Sydney who recommende­d me for this career-defining role.

Q: Name one really special thing about your restaurant? N: The Plantation Grill stimulates all your senses at once.

Q: How do you unwind? N: Snorkellin­g is my meditation.

Q: Dead or alive, who would you like to take out to dinner? N: Table of six: Robbie Williams, Madonna, Kylie, Michael Jackson, George Michael. No photograph­s allowed.

The Plantation Grill

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