Coming from a large family, Anita
has always had a natural affinity for people and communication. She grew up in
Khayelitsha as the youngest of six children, excelling in drama and music,
before going on to study Human Resource Management. Her studies helped her
decide that her career would need to give her the opportunity to interact with
people daily.
Anita applied for a
learnership at the Vineyard Hotel in 2008 as a trainee in the Food and Beverage
services. After completing the program, she applied for the position of waiter
at the hotel’s The Square Restaurant, where she has served for the past five
years. Naturally polite, committed and highly motivated, it has been a position
that has played to her strengths and allowed her to grow.
Opting for a change of
scenery, Anita spent a few months in the retail sector. She says, “After I
found myself seating guests and taking drinks orders on the quiet mornings in
the local business café, I realized that my heart would always belong to
hospitality.” Anita was welcomed back into the Vineyard Hotel team with open
arms, soon after.
While the time at the hotel has proved to be a valuable learning experience for
Anita, it has also helped cultivate an interest in wine. Sparked by watching
guests’ enjoyment, she would study labels on the bottles and the restaurant’s
extensive wine list on quieter evenings, before enquiring on the details of the
food and wine pairings. Her natural curiosity then extended to acquiring knowledge
on the best-selling wines on the menu, popular wine estates and guests’ general
feedback.
As
someone who is so obviously in love with her job and dedicated to creating a
positive experience for all guests, there can only be a bright future ahead for
Anita.