Wine & BeverageServiceOffice & Admin
Stuart McDonald
Former Director of Training | Chick-fil-A
Experience
2020 - 2023
Director of Training
Chick-fil-ALos Angeles, CA
Education
Advice from Stuart McDonald
Quotes about career path, skills, and teamwork from an industry leader.
I’ve learned so much from Stephanie (Castellucci), our owner.
She has a true passion for interacting with people, making sure that people feel comfortable voicing their thoughts. She has shown me how important it is to let people know that their opinion is heard and valued.
I studied English and Sociology as a double major in college but always enjoyed the world of food and beverage, so working in restaurants was a natural way for me to share that enjoyment on a daily basis.
Having worked for more than 7 years in this industry now, everything that I have done has been a learning experience.
Communication is key in hospitality – you have to know who your audience is and communicate with your guests in a way that makes them feel comfortable.
I wouldn't be able to do my job without my team.
They are the ones who do all the hard work and the heavy lifting.
We hire people who have a passion for the industry, a positive attitude and a helpful outlook on life in general.
They need to be enthusiastic so that they can translate what we do and communicate it in a persuasive way. When it comes to skills, candidates simply need to have a real willingness to learn – if you are willing to be uncomfortable and step outside your comfort zone, we can teach you the rest.
Every day, we have a pre-meal with the team half an hour before service starts:
we sit down and run through the specials, talk about recent services, we give a shout out to someone on the team that we’re grateful to have. We love to keep the team educated: we have a beverage school session every Saturday to learn more about a new spirit, cocktail or wine.
Two books that I highly recommend are "The Gifts of Imperfection" by Brene Brown and "Setting the Table" by Danny Meyer.
I never stop learning by surrounding myself with people that know more than me – never be afraid to ask questions, always stay humble and curious.
Learning something new every day adds to your portfolio of knowledge.
Roles in Wine & Beverage
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