General Manager at Potato Head Beach Club
E: Describe your typical day in a sentence.
D: Each day starts with playing with my dogs before heading to the office to do the daily briefing with the team to ensure we provide good times for all visiting our home.
E: So how did you come to be the general manager for Potato Head Beach Club?
D: I fell in love with Bali 11 years ago and had been visiting yearly with Potato Head always on my itinerary. In 2015 I met the managing director and ended up talking for hours. Two days before I was set to fly home I got a call that the owner, Ronald Akili, was on the island and asked if I would like to meet him. Needless to say we got on well, but to my surprise when I landed back in the UK and switched on my phone, my first email was an offer to turn around and return to Bali as the general manager of Potato Head. The rest is history.
E: What’s the toughest part of your job?
D: Going home as there is always so much going on and great guests to host.
E: What makes you smile at work?
D: Everyone I work with makes me smile. We are like a real family and infect each other with smiles whilst we work.
E: What motivates you?
D: I believe we are all very lucky to be in an industry we love. When you love what you do nothing is ever a chore.
E: Would things fall apart if you weren’t around?
D: Not at all. Like a pyramid, everything is still stable without the top. However, if the foundations are gone everything crumbles.
E: Who, in your team, deserves more recognition and why?
D: That’s an unfair question as we are a family and deserve equal recognition for the roles we play in our success.
E: Why should people go to Potato Head Beach Club to dine?
D: Our culinary offerings are diverse, to say the least. In addition to our Beach Club – which is globally known for the infinity pool overlooking the ocean and legendary DJs coming through – we also have four restaurants. Ijen, our newest, is a sustainable seafood restaurant that follows a zero-waste philosophy, and then there’s our award-winning upscale Indonesian restaurant, Kaum, as well as a pizza garden serving Neapolitan-style pizzas, and the Beach Club Lounge, which features a range of international favourites.
E: Away from work, what’s your favourite place to eat?
D: I am a big fan of Parachute, the breakfast there is awesome.
E: How do you unwind?
D: Going on long walks on the beach with my dogs or motorbike rides around the island is my favourite escapism.
E: Finally, any advice for those looking to break into the industry?
D: Find your passion and be a sponge. Question everything and think about what you can to better tomorrow than you did today. Kaizen!
Potato Head Beach Club
Jalan Petitenget No. 51B
Seminyak, Bali 80361, Indonesia
T: +623614737979
E: phbc.reservation@pttfamily.com
ptthead.com
