Training And Equatorial Hotel Kuala Lumpur Tourism Essay Example

eel), salmon, or tuna. My last kitchen section is the Main/Western Kitchen, which primarily handles outside catering and mass production for events. The Main Kitchen also provides food for the guest rooms.

During my time at Nipah cafe, I took responsibility for operating the grilling station. I encountered several challenging obstacles in the kitchen area, including dealing with recommendations from the chefs and communicating with non-English speaking guests while managing the counter line. Additionally, the kitchen would get extremely busy during events, requiring quick and efficient work in order to keep up. From these experiences, I learned that planning and timing are crucial skills for kitchen assistants and chefs. Technique is also important, and having knowledge about the products being prepared is helpful when interacting with both chefs and guests.

I not only learn new formulas and techniques while working there, but also have the opportunity to develop my skills. Cuisine Studio is a casual French restaurant situated in Tropicana Golf and Country Resort. It is owned by Jean Michel Fraisse and Bruno Cassasus. In addition to that, the restaurant produces their own homemade breads and various other food items like Jams, air dried duck, and sausages.

In addition to hosting cooking classes for breads, desserts, and entrepreneurship, they also provide outside catering services. This program is a specialized 3-month training in the kitchen, with only two shifts available: morning and evening. In the morning shift, we typically make breads like our signature multi-grain bread, focaccia, and baguette. We also prepare homemade yogurts and treats like creme brulee and lemon meringue tarts. During the evening shift, we handle the daily production needs and also prepare for outside catering

or events. One challenge I encountered was adapting to the different chefs' rules and methods in the kitchen, as we had to follow the restaurant's standard recipes.

While the baker was on vacation, I took over the morning baking duties. At first, it was difficult because "seeing and doing are different." I had to independently make the usual morning pastries including crescent rolls and chocolate rolls, which posed a challenge for me. The most valuable lesson I learned was that knowledge brings freedom. When you have a good understanding of a product, there are endless possibilities for experimentation and creativity. Furthermore, I acquired extensive knowledge about French cooking techniques such as substituting duck fat for oil. Additionally, I discovered the importance of working swiftly and prioritizing cleanliness above all else. To enhance my skills further, I have decided to attend Frangipani Langkawi Spa and Resort in Pantai Tengah Langkawi.

The text talks about Frangipani Langkawi, a resort that focuses on being eco-friendly and using recycled materials. The author chose to do their training at this resort because they wanted to experience working in a resort environment. Frangipani was the only available resort in Langkawi for trainees. The resort also offers staff quarters, medical facilities, and a monthly allowance. Frangipani Langkawi Spa and Resort was established in 2005 and was purchased by the owners of Asia Overland Services Tourism Agency.

Frangipani, a flower commonly grown in the country, inspired the creation of a dish known as Frangipani Fritters. Formerly known as Langkawi Village, the resort faced difficulties and was eventually purchased by the Travelling Agency. After undergoing extensive reconstruction and planning, Frangipani Langkawi is now an eco-green resort that

embraces sustainable practices.

Most of the decorations are used for recycling trees and even using rainwater for rinsing. There is also a sustainable country where they grow their own vegetables, fruits, and animals such as ducks, geese, and various types of fish for consumption upon request. The hotel offers 117 suites, including executive suites, an outdoor Jacuzzi, and two swimming pools - one filled with regular water and the other with saltwater. The saltwater pool was created due to the presence of Portuguese man-of-wars in the ocean during certain seasons, which could potentially harm guests who swim too far out. The construction of a spa is also currently taking place and is expected to be ready by 2011. The resort boasts beautiful green scenery with numerous trees and colorful flowers planted throughout the area.

Furthermore, research was conducted on the utilization of herbs and flowers in medical applications, resulting in the creation of a lemon grass-based mosquito repellent. The resort operates with great efficiency in terms of food recycling practices. In addition to this, Frangipani Langkawi attracts numerous international tourists who predominantly exhibit environmentally friendly behaviors, contributing to its popularity as a top destination for visitors. Many returning guests opt to prolong their stays at the resort for up to three weeks. It is worth noting that working at a resort differs from working at a city hotel; an example being the need to provide room services across vast distances within the extensive grounds.

Instead of staying in a busy city hotel, I have had the opportunity to live independently in the staff inn. However, there is no laundry service available, so we frequently need to wash our

clothes by hand and manage our time for work and other tasks. Moreover, it is customary for us to serve guests dining in the restaurant young mangos with homemade peanut sauce. The cold kitchen is located within the hot kitchen, so occasionally I would quickly enter and observe how orders are prepared. This is due to a shortage of kitchen staff, particularly during busy seasons. I have acquired extensive knowledge in the kitchen, encompassing recipes for Asian, Western, and Cold Kitchen dishes. Nevertheless, there isn't much room for discussion when it comes to cooking techniques.

During my 2-week tenure, I was given the responsibility of overseeing the omelette counter for breakfast. This task posed several challenges as each customer had unique preferences and orders, some of whom exhibited difficult attitudes. Additionally, another hurdle arose from the subpar quality of food available at our establishment due to cost-cutting measures implemented by the owner.

In addition to lacking ventilation and outdated kitchen equipment, the resort offers a variety of recipes that I have learned during my stay. They also feature a sustainable menu with food sourced from organic chicken, convolvulus soup (kang-kong), and frangipanni fritters harvested from the surrounding trees. This type of menu helps attract customers by highlighting the term "Organic" and appealing to health-conscious individuals. Through my experiences at a city hotel, casual dining French restaurant, and resort hotel, I have discovered that different locations provide diverse opportunities for learning and education.

During my Industrial Trainings, I have gained additional knowledge. When it comes to employees, staff facilities are essential. Employees expect to have access to staff facilities when they apply for a job or training. These facilities

may include staff quarters for those who don't have accommodations outside, as well as basic facilities like a cafeteria, staff room, and possibly an entertainment room for staff. Some organizations even offer higher level accommodations specifically for management staff. Frangipani Resort and Spa Langkawi provides these facilities within the hotel premises.

The purpose of having staff facilities is to provide a secure working environment for employees. When creating or planning to build staff facilities, it is important to consider long-term durability as years go by and things naturally wear out. Additionally, this is a future investment because staff will always be present, so it is necessary to regularly maintain and upgrade the facilities. This project is based on the researcher's experiences at Frangipani Resort and Spa Langkawi and dealing with staff facilities is a significant area involving everyone.

The staff installations at the hotel need improvement due to their old age. The goal is to make the installations comfortable for staff members, creating a happy environment. Providing fulfilling installations benefits the hotel and the researcher believes that taking care of the staff will result in them taking care of guests as a sign of gratitude. The resort is decorated appropriately for its location and prioritizes maintaining its main installations for guests. However, the statement does not consider another party that also relies on the on-premise facilities - the staff. The staff facilities at Frangipani are minimal and basic. These facilities are essential for employees, serving as a place for meal breaks and for some, even their "home" as it includes the staff quarters.

On the premise, there is only one edifice that houses the cafeteria, public toilets, bathrooms,

and the prayer room for Muslims. This arrangement forces the staff to go to this designated area whenever they need to use any of these facilities or to go to the bathroom. Additionally, there are three staff quarters available. The male quarters are located in the same place as the cafeteria, public toilets, cabinet suites, and prayer suites. They are also close to other departments such as accounting, human resources, room division, and the dry shop room. The female staff quarters are combined with the managers' quarters and are situated away from the other staff facilities. This provides more privacy for both the higher-ranking staff and the female employees. There are three rooms available for staff use, whether they are permanent employees or trainees. Each room is occupied by one permanent staff member, but when new trainees or staff members without accommodation arrive, they can also utilize the staff quarters for sleeping purposes.

The suites at the hotel have only 2 ceiling fans. Other amenities are either being purchased by the staff or provided by the hotel's General Manager as new furniture is installed. Guests are allowed to bring their own electronic devices like televisions, radios, DVD players, and mini bars. There is a separate restroom for male and female staff members. The male restroom has combined shower area and toilet stalls while the female showers are located near the management office where the female staff quarters are situated. The restroom facilities consist of 5 shower rooms and 5 toilet bowls. As an environmentally friendly establishment, Frangipani hotel collects rainwater for showering and washing that undergoes processing and treatment before use.

Additionally, they have created a small

staffroom where employees can relax during their lunch or dinner breaks. This room is equipped with two ceiling fans and a malfunctioning television. Typically, the staff will gather there to smoke and may even take a brief nap. The staffroom is filled with numerous sofas, which unfortunately encourages employees to sleep, preventing others from being able to comfortably sit and relax.

Previously, the staffroom was not allowed to be a smoking area, but it later became a place where the staff can take their smoking breaks. The cafeteria they have is quite small because there are many staff members, and sometimes the seats cannot accommodate everyone, so some staff members have to wait or eat outside. The cafeteria also has a few ceiling fans that provide some breeze. Furthermore, there is no entertainment in the cafeteria, which can make it very quiet and dull at times. The cafeteria kitchen is located behind it, which makes it convenient for the staff to clean up and serve food.

They also placed several deep trays for wastages to be fed to the animals in the sustainable farm like ducks and chicken. For breakfast, leftover bread will be given to the fishes in the pool they have. The conditions of some of the facilities are not properly maintained and some improvements should be implemented. Most of the staff has been trying to request improvements but all were turned down. As a result, most staffs are demotivated to work and are unhappy working. Psychologically, when staff members are unhappy working, their performance would truly be very low and feels that it's not worth their time working for their employer and this can

also lead to many staff turnovers.

In addition to being underpaid, inadequate staff accommodations also impact staff performance. I strongly believe that taking care of your staff should be a top priority because without them, the hotel cannot operate. Therefore, by creating a comfortable environment, management can ensure that work output will increase, as demonstrated by the Hawthorne studies on performance. Although these studies were conducted in a factory, similar principles can be applied to staff by providing them with better facilities, which will make them happier and more motivated to work. Currently, there are only three small and stuffy rooms available for male staff members, despite the presence of two ceiling fans.

Overall, the text discusses the condition of the rooms in relation to how the staff take care of them. Some rooms are well-maintained and clean, while others become dirty and even hotter due to the placement of cabinets and other furniture. The staff quarters are situated farthest away from the beach because they are located behind many guest suites. This positioning limits the airflow from the beach, making the staff quarters extremely hot, resembling an oven. Additionally, the male staff quarters are situated in front of a sustainable farm, which can be unpleasant in the morning due to the odor of animal feces. Furthermore, the staff canteen mentioned earlier is relatively small and becomes crowded during lunch or dinner times.

Besides, it becomes extremely hot, making it uncomfortable for staff members to eat. The cafeteria also has a few ceiling fans, but their purpose is defeated when everyone is inside holding their lunch or dinner. In addition to the small size of the cafeteria, it

can become very quiet at times because we only go there to have our meals, and sometimes some staff members don't even have the urge to take breaks. The condition of the public restroom is quite confusing, as staff members use it for sleeping or smoking, which is not its intended purpose.

Previously, this space was used by staff to take breaks after meals, where sleeping was allowed but smoking was not permitted to avoid inconvenience for non-smokers. Unfortunately, there is evidence of fading paint and peeling walls, and the floors consist of solid concrete instead of tiles or wood. Only one out of five toilet bowls is functional, while the others appear uninviting or may not work at all. The overall condition of the bathrooms is so poor that staff sometimes resort to using guest bathrooms outdoors. The walls surrounding the bathrooms are worn and some are even broken. Discolorations on the toilet bowls cannot be removed despite regular cleaning, and there are small holes from the shower cells that offer a view into the staff cabinet room.

Due to the use of recycled rainwater for laundry and rinsing purposes, there is no dedicated hot water supply for staff to use. The staffroom at Langkawi Lagoon Resort differs from Frangipani, as it is an all-in-one cabinet room where both male and female employees share a changing area. During break times, the staffroom becomes crowded, and it is even worse than Frangipani as smokers dominate the space. Additionally, the cafeteria is located across the main road from the resort, making it inconvenient for staff to walk over for meals.

The staff quarters, being a flat, is located 15

minutes away from the resort. Unfortunately, the condition of the quarters can be quite poor. The water for showering is often rusty and discolored, which is a result of the neglected water tank in the quarters. Additionally, the staff quarters are not separated by gender, which may not be suitable for Muslims. On the other hand, Nexus Resort Karambunai offers basic cafeteria facilities that can accommodate a large number of staff members. The staff accommodation also includes shared toilets and shower rooms.

Each cabinet room is segregated for both males and females. The hotel has an enclosed cafeteria specifically for staff, equipped with air-conditioners, which can accommodate a large number of employees during break hours. They even provide food for night-shift workers at 2 am. The lavatories in the cabinet room have a common layout with ample space, but they are quite dirty, making them uncomfortable to use. Additionally, there is no designated staff restroom, forcing employees to utilize their remaining break time in the cabinet room. A smoking area for staff is located nearby the loading area. As for the staff quarters, which are located 1km-2km away from the hotel and mainly occupied by permanent staff, there are very few available rooms for trainees. This is the reason why Nexus Resort cannot accommodate many trainees in one session.

The staff quarters have basic installations such as common lavatories. Each room accommodates 4 trainees. Despite the remote location, the hotel provides hourly transit for staff staying in outside quarters. Westin Langkawi has two staff quarters, one on the hotel grounds for female trainees and direction staff, and another in the town of Kuah for male trainees. The

male staff quarters in Kuah is a single floor corner batch house exclusively used by male trainees.

They are responsible for maintaining the cleanliness and well-being of the house, which is equipped with air-conditioning for each room. There are a total of 3 suites in the house. However, the downside is that there are no cooking equipment, such as a range, and cooking is not allowed on the premises. Only hot water can be boiled and instant noodles can be cooked within the premises.

The cafeteria, on the other hand, is a building within the hotel that is enclosed. It has air-conditioning, but it can't accommodate too many staff members at once, making it difficult to eat there. They offer 4 meals a day, but only allow certain staff members to eat at specific times. There are several restrictions, such as the location being too far away as the Resort is in Langkawi, which makes it hard to contact them for additional information. Certain information, like designs and quotation forms requested from the accounting department, were marked as Private and Confidential and could not be obtained for further reference.

Another factor to consider is that the monetary value citations for electronic equipment, such as air-conditioning and televisions, in the staff quarters can vary due to differences in pricing and taxes between Kuala Lumpur and Langkawi. Unlike Kuala Lumpur, Langkawi does not have any additional taxes. Additionally, the installation fee for the air-conditioning may also differ, further complicating the process of obtaining a price quote. Another issue arose when requesting quotes for repairs in the staff bathroom. The contractors only provided rough estimates verbally and were reluctant to give

a proper quote because no actual agreement was in place. As a result, they did not provide a comprehensive price or any official documents to support their estimates.