Like many in hospitality, my journey didn’t begin with a management title or a transparent profession plan.
In 2003, I arrived in the US from Brazil with restricted English, no skilled community, and only one factor: an unwavering drive to succeed. My first job? Working the drive-thru at a fast-food chain. It wasn’t glamorous, nevertheless it taught me early classes about customer support, teamwork and resilience.
Over the following 20 years, I labored my manner up from informal eating settings to high quality eating positions, and from line-level roles to managing high-end eating places within the Washington, DC, metro space.
At each cease, I realized the nuances of hospitality, the significance of consistency and the right way to lead groups by high-pressure environments.
Then 2020 modified every part.
Like many within the restaurant world, I discovered myself going through knowledgeable reckoning when the pandemic hit. As my restaurant’s doorways closed and the way forward for the eating trade grew to become unsure, I pivoted, touchdown in a subject I had by no means severely thought-about earlier than: senior residing.
At first, I used to be uncertain. My concept of senior residing was tied to medical care, not culinary creativity. However what I rapidly found was an trade in transformation, one which not solely wanted hospitality experience, however welcomed it.
At this time, I lead eating companies at The Windfall, a luxurious senior residing neighborhood in Fairfax County, VA. Our purpose is to raise the eating expertise whereas honoring the dietary wants and private meals histories of our residents.
The shift from restaurant to retirement neighborhood may look like a serious departure, however the essence of the work stays the identical: it’s about individuals. Hospitality is about creating moments that matter, whether or not it’s by plating a superbly cooked steak or crafting a heart-healthy dish that reminds somebody of their childhood.
At The Windfall, I’ve had the chance to introduce packages that replicate that philosophy. Certainly one of our hottest improvements is the “Member’s Selection” choice, an initiative that empowers residents to customise their meals primarily based on private style, eating wants and cultural preferences. It’s not nearly flexibility; it’s about giving residents independence and ensuring each meal feels private.
For me, management is about greater than menus and logistics. It’s about creating area for others to develop.
As an immigrant girl and a member of the LGBTQ+ neighborhood, I do know what it feels wish to not see your self mirrored in management. Early in my profession, there weren’t many individuals who regarded like me in positions of affect. Now that I’m in a single, I prioritize mentorship and inclusion. I work intently with staff members to assist them discover their voice and transfer ahead of their careers, simply as I used to be as soon as inspired to do.
The senior residing workforce is evolving. Communities are adopting hospitality-forward fashions, which implies there’s a rising demand for inventive leaders who perceive each service and empathy. It additionally means we have to broaden our definition of management, welcoming professionals from nontraditional backgrounds and supporting them in making significant transitions.
My journey wasn’t linear. It included challenges, doubts and loads of pivots. However it additionally gave me a novel perspective on how meals connects individuals and the way management rooted in empathy, inclusion and flexibility can form not simply an trade, however a tradition.
As senior residing reimagines what “hospitality” appears to be like like, I’m excited to be a part of the transformation. As a result of whether or not you’re at a five-star restaurant or in a senior residing neighborhood eating room, one factor holds true: nice service begins with coronary heart.
Sabrine Marques is the eating companies director at The Windfall in Fairfax, VA, bringing greater than 20 years of restaurant and hospitality expertise. A 2019 Rammy’s Supervisor of the 12 months nominee, she joined Silverstone Senior Residing in 2020 after working with prime restaurant teams in Washington, DC; Bethesda, MD; Los Angeles; and San Francisco. Born in Anápolis, Brazil, she holds an affiliate diploma in data expertise and entered the US restaurant scene in 2003. Identified for her ardour for international delicacies and real hospitality, she takes pleasure in mentoring others and constructing sturdy groups.
The opinions expressed in every McKnight’s Senior Residing visitor column are these of the writer and are usually not essentially these of McKnight’s Senior Residing.
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