On the 14th May, the PYA hosted two interactive GUEST training sessions for interior crew at the Royal Beach Hotel in Antibes. The idea behind these was to showcase the kind of skills that crew can expect to master as part of the GUEST program.
The GUEST program was introduced following demand from the industry to have bespoke training specifications put in place for interior crew. As the front line for owners and guests, it is fundamental that Interior crew have the level of in-depth knowledge, skill and confidence that is sufficient to offer the high-end service and hospitality required on-board Superyachts.
GUEST is now industry recognised as the global training standard for Interior Superyacht crew, and offers Interior crew a clearly defined career path to follow.
During the three-part introduction to GUEST, the enthusiastic crew were expertly coached by three GUEST training providers. Lynne Edwards kicked off the session with a guide to etiquette dos and don’ts. Subjects covered included personal presentation and grooming, protocol with guests, dealing with different cultures and religions, acceptable greetings and forms of address.
Next, Terry Gilmore showed the attendees the secrets behind laying the perfect guest table. Encouraging the crew to work together to ensure that every angle of the table was immaculately presented, Terry demonstrated insider tips and tricks from his many years in high-end service.
Finally Peter Vogel rounded off the workshop with a masterclass in the art of serving guests at a table. Many crew do not know the correct way to serve, and this was clear when the students started trying to get to grips with perfectly timed and seamlessly executed service. To begin with, they were all over the place, serving guests from alternate sides, placing the plates at different times, and interrupting the guests with their body positioning. Peter’s intricate service ‘plan’, though tricky to grasp, showed the stews how important it is for everybody to be in the right place at precisely the right time, and to be aware of the rest of your team at all times. One girl said what everybody else was thinking – “I never knew putting down a plate could be so complicated”. However, after much practising, the stews had mastered near-perfect synchronised service which would impress even the most demanding of guests.
Conquering these skills is essential for anybody wanting to make a serious career in the yachting industry, and the GUEST Training Awareness day highlighted to all those who attended that even though they may have thought they knew it all, professionalising oneself by being formally trained in these disciplines is essential for the kind of 7 star service that owners and charter guests expect in this industry.
To find out more about the GUEST program, please visit www.guest-program.com
