A few weeks ago Jill and I took the kids to one of our favorite spots in the world – Vail, Colorado. I’m not a big “spread your ashes” kind of guy – but if I died and had to spread my ashes somewhere, I would spread half my ashes in Italy and the other half in Vail (as long as my stomach ashes were spread in Italy).
One of our favorite spots to eat in Vail is a casual place called the Bully Ranch. They have the best burger in town and their truffle tater tots are insanely delicious (any food that begins with the word truffle has a pretty good chance of being insanely delicious). Our waitress at the Bully Ranch was as good as the tater tots. She was the kind of young lady you want your son to marry – genuine, thoughtful, attentive and polite. We fell in love with Sarah (I changed her name to keep her from blushing).
During our meal we learned that Sarah was a foodie and looked at “waiting tables” as more than a J-O-B. She actually wants a career in the hospitality industry and has a goal of working at one of Vail’s fine dining restaurants. She shared that her dream job would be working as a server at Flames Restaurant inside the prestigious Vail, Four Seasons Resort & Spa.
I liked Sarah and wanted to help her, so I asked for her e-mail address and forwarded it to one of my special friends, Thierry Kennel, the Regional Vice President of Four Seasons, Colorado. I told my buddy how special I thought Sarah was and that I believed she has the chops to become one of his best servers. Thierry set up an interview.
Last week, I got an e-mail from Sarah telling me she didn’t get the fine dining server job at Flames Restaurant. Instead, the Four Season’s Vail offered her a job at their cocktail/lounge bar called Remedy’s. She was clearly disappointed. She thanked me for my help and shared that she will try and apply at the other fine dinner establishments in Vail.
Here was my e-mail response:
Dear Sarah,
May I give you some fatherly advice?
Take the job at Remedy’s at the Four Seasons. Take it and work your tail off with the best and most genuine attitude. You will be working at Flames before you know it.
Thierry Kennel has a knack for weeding out who really wants to join the Four Season’s family. Sometimes, in an interview, Thierry asks folks what is the one job at the hotel they would hate doing the most. Some people say dishwashing, housekeeping, etc. Whatever they say, that is the job Thierry offers them. Then, he can see who truly wants the job.
Take my advice or leave it. But if it were my daughter, I would tell her to be the best damn cocktail waitress Remedy has ever seen. And let her work ethic and attitude decide her fate.
I’m not sure how Sarah will respond, but I will tell you this – most people wouldn’t take the job at Remedy’s. But this, I know – If you want the job at Flames (and in life) sometimes you have to be the best damn cocktail waitress and soon you’ll be running the joint.