Making a strong impression: talented young people in the audience

Maira Cantallops is 23 years old and the maître d' at Montbar* (Barcelona). “I had a teacher who instilled in me a passion for customer service in the hospitality industry, and during my internship in Lasarte, I realized it was my calling,” this young Barcelona native, with previous experience in neighborhood restaurants, tells 7Caníbales. With a higher degree from EHTB (Escola d'Hoteleria i Turisme de Barcelona), she started working at Montbar in September 2020, first as a waitress, then as head waitress. The team of young people assembled by Iván Castro, the restaurant's owner, was key to its growth, and it's worth noting that after the lockdown, Fran Agudo (former head chef at Tickets) joined as chef.

“This job gives me so much energy, the desire to improve and never give up, and the interaction with the customer is incredibly stimulating,” says Cantallops. The young maître d' places equal importance on the dining room as on the kitchen, and she sees her future at Montbar, where she wants to continue growing and serving the public. “Everyone should have some experience working with customers: it makes you more human, more empathetic.”

Dannela Contreras, a 21-year-old Venezuelan and also an EHTB graduate, works as the second server at Montbar. “In August 2022, I started at Media Manga (Montbar's sister restaurant), and just half an hour into service, Iván told me, 'Come to Montbar.' It was a huge surprise.” The young woman is very clear that she joined a close-knit family, where everyone works together and offers a top-notch experience. “We have a great clientele, and I think that reflects how personal we are with our customers, treating everyone individually so they feel at home.”

Paula Miguel Rivero, the head waitress at Aleia, the Michelin-starred restaurant in Barcelona owned by Argentinian chef Paulo Airaudo, with Rafa de Bedoya as head chef, is twenty-three years old. The young woman from Palencia trained at the Basque Culinary Center. “I really enjoy life and wanted to study cooking. Once I was in San Sebastián, I decided on front-of-house service: it's the finishing touch to what we do in the kitchen.” What Paula likes about the front-of-house is the unpredictability: “There are always surprises; you have to be very resourceful and build a good team.”

At El Faro in Cádiz, you'll find Carmen Reyes, a 23-year-old from Cádiz who found her calling after studying at the Osborne Foundation's hospitality school in El Puerto de Santa María. She currently works as a waitress at El Faro, though Iván Llanza, president of the Foundation, believes she'll go far. "I'm passionate about working in the dining room because making others happy gives me so much satisfaction. And that happens every day in the hospitality industry," says Carmen. She's currently combining her job with cocktail studies. "I think the hospitality industry is like any other job: if you don't love it, you'll never give it your all. I absolutely love it!"

What about wine?

A large majority of young people focused on becoming sommeliers have trained for it. Lucía Araque came to sommeliers after graduating in oenology from the University of Cádiz. A bad experience at the end of her degree led her to choose wine in its more playful aspect: the bar.

In Madrid, he's worked at Angelita, El Marginal, and now, at 28, he leads Caíño, the wine bar of the Bulbiza group. "Dealing with customers is very motivating; it's a very rewarding job, and thankless too, but the good times make it all worthwhile," he says. Araque knows a thing or two about wine, and believes his knowledge has a lot to offer in the bar culture. "Without necessarily treating the customer like a buddy, I like to have a friendly and informative approach that allows me to interact with them. On a professional and personal level, the hospitality industry gives you self-control, forces you to reflect, and provides a great life lesson. There are different kinds of hospitality, but if you find the right one, it's a fascinating sector to work in."

At Montbar, the sommelier is Davide Battista. He joined in 2021 as a waiter and, thanks to his knowledge (he studied sommelierie in Italy) and his passion for wine, he rose through the ranks. “In Barcelona, ​​I completed the WSET Level 2 certification, and thanks to Iván, I was able to do internships like the one I did at Geranium in 2022.” Regarding the supposed difficulty of working in the industry, Battista is clear that passion is key: “It’s an industry where you can reach a good position, and it allows you to train for future jobs, like starting your own business.”

Sònia Romero is Davide's assistant at Montbar. She's 21 and already knows that her place is in the hospitality industry and the world of wine. "In this job you learn about life, you learn about the customer, and it gives you a lot of professional and personal experience."

Fernando Moret's story is one of hard work and determination. He began by studying pastry, then completed a vocational degree in Service Management, and after a stint at Lienzo*, he resumed his advanced studies and finished his degree in sommelier training and wine marketing, all while working to pay for his education. This 24-year-old from Valencia is now head sommelier at the Ambivium* restaurant (Peñafiel, Valladolid), known for its focus on wine. "The best part of my job is making people happy. With just a few details, you make them happy, and you make yourself happy too," says the young man. Regarding his future, he says: "My dream is to be head sommelier at Ambivium when it earns its third Michelin star."

In Jerez, Deivid Henao, a 21-year-old from Tenerife with Colombian roots, is diligently preparing to take over as sommelier at Lú Cocina y Alma, the Michelin-starred restaurant of Jerez native Juanlu Fernández. “I grew up in a bar in La Orotava and studied hospitality to gain a deeper understanding of the industry and work in a high-level restaurant like Lú.” In Tenerife, he worked at the Haydée restaurant and completed a sommelier course. While in Jerez, working as a waiter, he approached Santiago Fernández Villazón, the restaurant's sommelier at the time, to learn from him. Without specifying a location, like Fernando, Deivid dreams of becoming a sommelier and head waiter at a three-Michelin-starred restaurant.

Good hospitality offers jobs that allow for a personal life and future prospects.

“There are two types of hospitality: good and bad. The new generations are changing things, ensuring that there is more and more good hospitality,” says Sònia Romero. This good hospitality is the kind run by professionals, as Moret points out: “If you want to be a good professional, you have to work in places where they are professional.” Paula Miguel echoes this sentiment: “I’ve seen progress in work-life balance. The days of shouting and bad behavior from business owners, employees, and customers are fading away. In any case, with knowledge, we are prepared to choose which league to play in.”

In these 21st-century restaurants, the owners care about the well-being of their employees, offering competitive wages and reasonable working hours. The young people interviewed enjoy two full days off in a row, and a half-day off during the week. In Lucía Araque's case, since Caíño doesn't offer lunch service, her shift is continuous every afternoon, and like the others, she enjoys two consecutive days off every week.

In contrast, Ambivium doesn't offer night service, which benefits the employee's well-being. "I don't want the lifelessness of the outdated hospitality industry. In the future, I'd like to start a family, and I'll want time to be with them," Moret asserts.

Regarding salary, everyone feels fairly compensated. “There’s always room for improvement, but the priority is that the contract itself mentions 'reviewable.' Both parties need to demonstrate their worth. When you start a job, they need to see your value, and as you take on more responsibilities, you should be paid accordingly,” Araque maintains.

Sònia Romero says she earns a good living in Montbar: “I’m still studying at a private school that I pay for myself, and I live with my partner in Barcelona, ​​covering my expenses without any problem. I’m very happy.” Her partner, Davide Battista, adds: “We get very good tips.”

Do young women have it worse in the hospitality industry? “Not at all,” says Paula Miguel, adding: “I believe that in gastronomy, people are valued for their talent and work regardless of their gender. We see both men and women as chefs, head waiters, sommeliers… At Aleia, I lead the dining room, and from the very beginning, I’ve been valued for my experience and for what I demonstrate every day through our work. There are more and more women holding important positions in this sector.”

Although subtle, Maira Cantallops did encounter some obstacles at the beginning of her career. “Yes, I felt some resistance for being a young woman. You have to work hard to be respected, to be taken seriously, but right now I don't feel that's happening to me. In this place, in Montbar, as Iván says, we don't look at ID. It doesn't matter if you're a man or a woman; if they trust you, they'll stick with you to the end.”

In the past, Sònia Romero did experience some setbacks. “I had some issues with a colleague. Sometimes there are abuses that border on sexual harassment or abuse, even if you make it clear that you won't tolerate it. At the time, I took action and it was resolved. As general advice, don't be afraid; you have to know how to address it and not allow yourself to be undervalued or belittled. In this society, there are many ideologies, and I'm grateful that most of the people I've worked with or met are respectful.”