By Bridie Byrne
HE is well on his way to becoming the next Gordon Ramsay or Jamie Oliver – but minus the constant swearing, public outrage and investigations from animal rights groups.
Matthew Camilleri, 18, has won a recognition of leadership award that is set to make an impact on his hospitality studies at Victoria University.
“Winning the award has encouraged me to look forward and inspired me to keep working towards my goal of becoming a CEO in the hospitality industry,” he said.
Victoria University and Quest Serviced Apartments offered students in their first year of a hospitality management degree the opportunity to win recognition for their understanding of small business management and customer service in the hospitality sector.
Mr Camilleri’s essay and presentation also won him a laptop and entry to Quest’s two-day business conference this month.
There were two critical elements of his essay, with one centring on customer service and the other on leadership.
“There is a fine difference between a manager and a leader,” he said.
“However, both roles play an important part within the operations of a small business.
“A manager is an individual who manages staff in order to accomplish tasks and reach goals, while a leader focuses on helping staff better themselves, motivating them to achieve a higher level of performance.”
Mr Camilleri said his passion for hospitality stemmed from his eagerness to learn about different cultures.
“With hospitality, you get to deal with different types of people from around the world,” he said.
“I love hospitality.
“I have been working in a local café and have worked my way right through from dish-hand to serving customers and I have learned so much about every aspect of this small business.”
He said customer service was still the most important factor in the hospitality industry.
“In my opinion, we must always strive to exceed the customer’s expectations,” he said.
“In my future business, customer service will be the highest priority.
“I am on a mission to have more in my life and I want to strive for the highest accolades so I reach my goals.”
Quest’s general manager and head of the judging panel, Nick Suriano, expressed his delight at the young student’s effort and acknowledged the leadership displayed.
“If this is any indication of what we as future employers can expect from emerging young hospitality staff, then as a group we will be very happy,” he said.
