My story began when I went to culinary college in Warsaw, where the subjects increasingly piqued my interest, including how to serve dishes elegantly. I think this awakened my passion for gastronomy.

After graduating in 1982, I began my career at the Forum Hotel as a waiter. Initially, the property was managed by Orbis, the largest hotel company in Poland, known for being cutting edge and for its prestige. In 2002, the hotel management changed to Accor, it became Novotel Warszawa Centrum and I took on the role of shift manager.

Over my 40-year career, I have witnessed and adapted to significant political changes, global business policies, evolving guest services, and hotel trends.

As a manager, I was responsible for some of the most dynamic departments, including conference and banqueting, and the scope of my responsibilities has expanded over the years, becoming more comprehensive. Service trends have changed from English and French styles of serving, where food was served à la carte or directly from the plate, to American style, where the chef prepares the food on a plate in the kitchen.

Working in a hotel gives me great satisfaction; meeting people and interacting with them, and helping in every situation. Also, I appreciate the opportunity to develop, to improve my qualifications, and I like the culture of Accor, which introduces programmes such as reducing food waste, environmentally friendly removal of plastics from the hotel, and family policies, which give free stays for children or cartoons.

Being a Heartist® means giving the guest your heart, responding to their every need, making them feel almost at home and being open to all requests.

In addition, working in the hotel industry has allowed me to learn the nuances of diplomatic work. I have had the honour of serving presidents and ambassadors from around the world, and the  proudest moment in my career was being able to serve Pope John Paul II.

I have passed on my knowledge and expertise to younger employees, taking pride in their professional successes. My work reflects my passion for hotel management, allowing me to demonstrate my love for the industry while maintaining the confidentiality of our hotel’s activities. On July 1^st 2024, I embarked on my 43rd year of service.

My advice to someone who joins a hotel group is to be open, creative, take a positive attitude towards guests and earn their gratitude so that they return with a smile and thanks for their stay. They will reward the effort we put into making them want to come back to us and so that we can welcome them again.

Don’t be afraid to take decisions and even make mistakes; these help us learn faster as we get to know ourselves and gain more confidence. That way, we enjoy our successes and we will become better; better than the best.