Behind the curtains of the Regency Hotel in Menlyn

On the 16th of June 2018 my team and I were hired by the Regency Hotel in Menlyn to run the kitchen at the Platina restaurant on the premises of this R350,000,000.00 luxury establishment.

The GM of the Hotel and the 2 individuals who app**** for the 5 year lease to operate the restaurant, were collaborating on a daily basis in order to get the establishment up and running by the 28th of June which was their official opening date. The official opening date was supposed to be on June 1st 2018 as advertised on the hotel's website, but due to poor management and slow construction things were not falling into place.

Upon the date of the official opening, the restaurant was still under construction and furniture was not yet delivered due to the Hotel GM placing orders very late, thus we were forced to rent furniture, plates and cutlery in order to accommodate the 200 guests. Amongst these guests, the media as well as the person who was there to make sure that the restaurant was up to standard with the hotel's policy.

Some of the guests were asked to stay over for the entire weekend. Most of the guests were personal friends of the GM, who seemed to be more concerned with showing off to his guests. The fact that the restaurant was not yet ready, didn't seem to bother him much.

The person who came to rate the Hotel, reported back to the owner of this multi-million project, informing him that the restaurant was not up to standard and it reflected negatively towards the Regency Hotel as a whole.

When the GM was confronted for his lack of management, he blamed the two individuals who hired myself and my team. The owner than decided to reject the 5 year lease contract and next thing we know, labour law was there to inform us all that we were being retrenched on July the 5th 2018.

This is a complete disgrace towards the food and hospitality industry.