Hannah McCaskie became a co-owner in her restaurant just a year after completing her ServiceIQ Cookery Apprenticeship.
As co-owner and maître d’ at Aberdeen on Broadway restaurant, Palmerston North, Hannah combines her experience as a chef with her love of working with people. After completing her cookery apprenticeship, she chose to get out of the kitchen to learn more about the business.
“I wanted to know exactly how the restaurant all worked. Obviously I’d been in the kitchen for two years, and I was always intrigued to see how the front-of-house worked. I trained for about two weeks before I did my first maître d’ shift. I loved it – as soon as I stepped out here I didn’t want to go back into the kitchen.”
Hannah’s wasn’t always a smooth career path. After leaving Palmerston North Girls High School at 15, she started a hairdressing apprenticeship but it didn’t go to plan.
Not wanting to be out of work, Hannah picked up some waitering work at a local café. Although she hadn’t planned on a hospitality career, this foot in the door led to her cookery apprenticeship. “Every time I had a spare minute I’d be out in the kitchen looking for something to help with, because I was quite good at cooking.”
And those hair dressing skills have not been wasted. “I still to this day have my scissors and cut my family and friends’ hair!”
Hannah moved on to Aberdeen on Broadway where she was awarded her apprenticeship in 2012. She quickly became the head chef and her achievements in the kitchen include winning a Beef and Lamb Excellence Award in 2013.
Describing herself as a people-person with an interest in all aspects of the business, Hannah had the opportunity to buy into the restaurant. In 2012 she became a shareholder and she plans to take over a growing slice of the business in coming years.
Her increased responsibilities include designing the menu, which allows her to combine her customer-focus with the practical demands of running a busy kitchen. “As the owner it’s important to have an input into the kitchen because the food is the reason the customers will come. When you’re doing 140 meals in a night you can’t have something that’s hard to put together. I’m working with the kitchen so we can put together something that I know will work in the kitchen and in front-of-house.”
Hannah’s plans are to stay at Aberdeen on Broadway for the next five years or so, and increase her shareholding and responsibilities. “Everyone says I’m very young for this role but I’ve just stuck my head down and worked. It’s good when you go to work and it feels like it’s not a job because you enjoy it so much.”
And she hasn’t given up on the training. “I would love to do a baking and pastry course because I do enjoy going into the kitchen and helping them bake.”
Find out more about ServiceIQ's Hospitality Qualifications here.
For more information, please contact ServiceIQ on 0800 863 693 or email intel@ServiceIQ.org.nz