Celtic Manor Resort
A career in hospitality can introduce you to a new world of opportunities if you’re willing to come on the journey.
Sy Crockford, Executive Restaurant Chef
Sy Crockford, executive restaurant chef at the Celtic Manor Resort in Newport, South Wales, said his more than 20-year career has seen new challenges and possibilities regularly pop up both at home and abroad.
“The reason I love my job is the creativity and the diversity of what I do. Every day is different, every day is exciting,” he said.
“I left sixth form and ended up going to Pembrokeshire College where I got into hospitality. I ended up in a kitchen where all of a sudden I wasn’t using a pen and a pad, I was being creative and expressing everything I had onto a plate.
“Since then, I’ve been able to cook for numerous celebrities, travel the world with it to places like Japan, Germany, Hong Kong, Indonesia, and that’s just from cooking. So it opens up so many doors.”
Mathew Verallo, Operations Manager
Mathew Verallo began his career cleaning glasses at the resort’s award-winning Merlins Bar, but just six years later he is now operations manager for one of the business’ new Tŷ Hotels.
He said: “I’m just one of the many stories in the industry and within Celtic Manor of how I’ve been able to progress in my career.
“We grow our own and we nurture our own in the business, and help develop people, through opportunities like exchange programmes in France and Malta.”
Staff working at the five-star resort say it can provide some unique experiences, especially when the resort plays host to world-famous events.
Charlotte Nutt, Reservations Manager
Reservations manager Charlotte Nutt said: “One of the best experiences of my life was when I got to work the Ryder Cup event which took place in 2010. It was an amazing event to be part of, especially when I got the opportunity to arrange the rooms for the American team, prior to them hitting the golf course.
Nikos Makripodis, Concierge
Nikos Makripodis, a concierge who helped look after the leaders of the world when the resort hosted the 2014 NATO Summit, said: “My favourite memory is meeting the then-President of the United States, Barack Obama.
“Working hard to make sure the leaders of different countries were well looked after was an incredible time.”
Explore
To find out more:
- If you’re aged 16 or over and would like to explore your opportunities with a careers adviser, please contact the Working Wales team by calling free on 0800 028 4844, emailing workingwales@careerswales.gov.wales or through our live chat
- View job vacancies at Celtic Manor to explore their opportunities in hospitality
- Use job websites to find a wide range of job vacancies
- Discover employers recruiting now and our job bulletin for access to current live vacancies across Wales
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