Director of Food & Beverage at Fairmont Sanur Beach Bali
E: Describe your typical day in a sentence.
Denise: Never a dull moment! I enjoy checking on the resort premises and our F&B venues in between meetings; however my time is mostly spent with our colleagues and guests.
E: So how did you come to be the F&B Director for Fairmont Sanur Beach Bali?
D: Right place, right time! It has been an incredibly interesting journey that has brought me from Dubai to Shanghai, the Maldives and now Bali. Each of these distinct locations have contributed towards my development and allowed me to hone my skills to become who you see today.
E: What’s the toughest part of your job?
D: Switching off! It’s a 24-hour business so there is always something to do. The right work-life balance is very important; family, friends, personal hobbies and interests all allow you to return to work energized and positive about the tasks ahead.
E: And what makes you smile at work?
D: My colleagues, every single day. In Bali, more than anywhere else I have worked, I find my team has a wonderful way with guests.
E: What motivates you?
D: Striving for excellence and continuous improvement – we listen to our guests and colleagues, share amongst the team and endlessly seek improvement. I always look for opportunities to create sets of well-defined, measurable standards that not only result in a clear vision for the team, but also allow us to review where we are now versus where we want to be. Confirming we are moving in the right direction is highly motivating and a fantastic reason to celebrate with the team.
E: Would things fall apart if you weren’t around?
D: No, absolutely not. Empowerment is vital and strongly encouraged within Fairmont. We have created a very strong team of smart, loyal and motivated colleagues; we wouldn’t be able to create unique and memorable experiences without everyone’s support.
E: Who in your team deserves more recognition and why?
D: Our trainees – our secret weapons; their enthusiasm is contagious! We are focused on developing our future stars of the hospitality industry in Indonesia.
E: Why should people choose Fairmont Sanur Beach Bali to dine?
D: Besides our exceptional restaurants, we have a variety of different ways for our guests to enjoy a memorable time engaging with the beautiful surroundings; from Sunrise Breakfast on the Beach, to Barbeques in the Garden, Romantic Dinners in the private Cabana Lounges to Sunday Lobster Brunch. All can be tailored to meet and exceed our guests’ wishes.
E: Away from work, what’s your favourite place to eat?
D: I can honestly say that we are spoilt for choice here, Bali is thriving, so my personal favourites include some of the well-known names on the culinary scene, whilst on the same list are little, unknown warungs!
E: How do you unwind?
D: I love travelling. My most recent trip was to Borneo, an incredibly peaceful place without telephone reception or Wi-Fi… it was a bit of a shock at first but it’s so important to really switch off.
E: Finally, any advice for those looking to break into the industry?
D: Be passionately curious about anything and everything. Work hard and work smart; it is a multi-cultural environment that allows you to develop professional and personally and I would recommend enjoying every minute of it.
