The general manager’s route to the top
Erick Kervaon is general manager of one of Richmond’s first boutique hotels, the 15-bedroom
Bingham, which also has a three-AA-rosette restaurant and an annual turnover of £3.1m.
What gets you out of bed in the morning? The people I work with. I don’t like to be micromanaged so I try to lead by coaching my staff. If they make mistakes, I debrief them so they can see where they went wrong.
How long have you been general manager? I was recruited by the Bingham’s co-owner Samantha Tinder in January 2013. What attracted me to the job was the fact she was giving me the challenge of taking the business to the next level.
What has been your biggest challenge? My biggest task was to make the business profitable, particularly the restaurant. We had lost a Michelin star and the food and beverage (F&B) concept needed a new vision. I worked closely with head chef Mark Jarvis to create a cost-effective menu. This year, we will break records in turnover, staff happiness, profits, guest satisfaction and number of guests.
How important are social media skills? They are crucial, especially in marketing. I respond to TripAdvisor comments and make the most of Facebook and Twitter. Regular guests tweet me for tables or rooms and they get direct access to me. Customers want it now; it never stops. I even check my tweets before bed.
Give us some career highlights My previous roles have included F&B manager at Exclusive Hotels’ South Lodge, in charge of two three-AA-rosette restaurants. I also worked as F&B director at Syon Park Waldorf Astoria hotel and general manager at Restaurant Associates’ Tower 42 in London. I was awarded the Food and Beverage Manager Catey in 2009.
Tell us about your training I’m a graduate of Cranfield University’s Accelerated Talent Development Programme, but I’d say my business acumen was developed on the job at Exclusive Hotels.
What qualities do you need to work in hospitality? You need a smile and passion. If you’ve got that you can be trained to work in hospitality. I knew I wanted to work in this industry when I was five years old. It has sometimes been difficult, but I got here because I had passion and drive.
What are your tips to get to the top? If you want something enough, you will get to the top. For instance, go to the Caterer Summit and learn from the people who are talking. Have the courage to ask for a mentor. If you are polite and hospitable as you climb the career ladder, people will naturally want to help. And if you help others, it will come back to you.
Finally, perks of the job… we’ve heard Brangelina have been in the restaurant? All I will say is that our customer base is drawn from the well-heeled local crowd – and A-list celebrities do make an appearance.
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Careers in hotels
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