Magazine May/Jun 2019

16 years is a long time to spend at any organization – what are some of the roles you’ve taken on in the past? I joined The Club as a fresh-faced part-timer when I was a teenager, and became a full-time waiter when I was 16. After my compulsory 2-year National Service, I returned to The Club and was trained in supervisory roles. I held different positions at the Banquet Department, Coffee House (the Central of many years ago), Stewarding, Union Bar and most recently Eagle’s Nest. I was also part of the opening team when The Club launched The 2 nd Floor. Since the closure of Eagle’s Nest last February, I have been working very closely with our Senior F&B Operations Manager Afieq on the closure, launch and operations of our new dining outlets – Grillhouse, Central and the new Union Bar. What does The American Club mean to you? To be honest, I spend more hours at The Club than at home – it’s no wonder The Club is truly a home away from home, not just for Members but for staff as well. My colleagues, superiors and Members are all like family to me. I have grown together with so many Members – from busy adults to now semi-retired Members who frequent The Club even more, and adorable babies who are now Junior Members and Members in their own right. Members respect the staff and treat us well, and colleagues are always ready to lend a helping hand. The bond the staff has is something that you cannot experience anywhere else. We even have colleagues from different departments helping each other, especially during busy times like our annual Club birthday bash.

What’s your greatest takeaway from your Club journey thus far? Other than the friendships I’ve forged with Member- friends and colleagues, my greatest takeaway will be my scholarship to study in the Singapore Hotel and Tourism Education Centre (SHATEC) in 2006. The Club sponsored my 2 years of education at SHATEC where I went through intensive training in food & beverage management. I also had the chance to intern at Grand Hyatt, where I learned the responsibilities of being a butler. I also learned how to serve Chinese cuisine in one of the Chinese restaurants owned by SHATEC (which helped when The Club launched The 2 nd Floor!). I returned to The Club with renewed passion for my chosen line of work, and learned valuable technical and leadership skills.

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