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00:00very good afternoon this is for Xavier speaking oh thank you so much for asking
00:09I'm always wonderful London's Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park is one of the world's
00:14most exclusive hotels
00:22our royal suite goes for 15,000 pounds a night if you want to have this kind of
00:28hotel you need the money if not how do you pay you cannot pay with love offering
00:35elite clientele a flavor of traditional Britain I'm always a sucker for cucumber
00:40sandwiches I think it's the double cream that gets me going now for the first
00:46time in its history the hotel has agreed to open its doors good evening both
00:54upstairs the royal suite and downstairs five-star hotel so they expect top-notch
01:04chop chop they pay money and I need it now check on scallop meat food between two
01:08pork and a sea bass please and reveal to the world the secrets of its success I
01:15I wish you the most pleasant afternoon ever thank you good bye
01:21I like when things are really perfectly done and I like beautiful things I'm a perfectionist so I think the
01:47job I'm doing he's he's spot-on
01:57Francois Xavier is the hotel's longest serving concierge
02:03good morning ladies good morning when you pass this door it doesn't matter if
02:11you are trained so if you have saved money for six months what you wanted the
02:15dream you want the dream life the glamour this is why we are here just to make the
02:22dream comes true obviously sometimes it can be a nightmare but good afternoon concierge
02:29francois xavi speaking I'm assist you mm-hmm 1230 but which hackassan would you like to have lunch I I
02:39think I shall book the Mayfair one mm-hmm much better I think the area is so much more civilized as well
02:47my ambition is to be surrounded by people who are happy and were happy because I make them happy
02:53I need six adapters in my room I need a big desk I need a muffin every day I'm not always the nicest
03:05person if the service is bad either it's completely right or it's completely wrong I would like everything
03:10unpacked and they're like absolutely so we will do that's what's away yes that's a good hotel
03:19can see as Nigel speaking good afternoon why else would one send breast milk abroad
03:31with such exacting guests Francois Xavier and head concierge Nigel have become experts at solving five
03:42star problems we had a lady guest being slightly delayed on a business trip so we've had to
03:47Kurt frozen courier transit it from London to Boston on liquid nitrogen yeah you could ask a good concierge
03:58anything if they don't have the immediate answer they'll seek it they will find it they will leave
04:04no stone unturned until the guest is content thank you or even better completely blown away that's
04:11that's what we're there for so we embody service we've asked numerous times this morning for the
04:19driver's detail for this private jet transfer today at Farnborough and the PA needs these details now an Indian
04:29guest was having a wedding in Regent's Park required an elephant for the wedding to pose with the bride and
04:37yeah we made it happen thank you good bye thank you
04:49every year the hotel hosts over 70 lavish weddings for high society and super rich couples from all over the world
04:59the next wedding will be for Chinese entrepreneur Reich thank you
05:06his family and friends are flying in from China for the celebrations
05:13I'm trying to relax a little bit trying to chew out how are you trying to relax just keep breathing like
05:24all the time taking deep breath with four different bridal outfits planned for the day Reich's fiancee Samantha is no
05:37ordinary bride I always taking care of my Samantha slide yeah I'm kind of her assistant we work together we have our own
05:48business and also I'm I'm do the planning Jesus Christ
05:55oh one day when we go out for dinner I told him that do you know my finger size
06:01is she a boss kinda she only need to be dealing with the sales part sales job and I'll be taking care of the rest so she
06:15are you used to looking after her though yeah all the time actually every single day both work business and life
06:22oh I'm a bad girl I know but I really like this way because this man he need to do more than me
06:30I thought she she choose the the art the other one they got a lot of crystal all around the ready dress but this is simpler
06:40so it looks fantastic for me he bought me a pure diamond and he spent all his money so I feel okay this guy
06:51I definitely might marry him because he gave gave me what he has all he has
06:58this
07:10on CEO's 20 please today a new concierge is joining the team thank you very much Paul a born and bred Londoner
07:19has cleared four interviews to get his job behind the desk.
07:23I remember in primary school we didn't have a set uniform,
07:26it was just a jumper.
07:28So that first day I put a tie on, aged 11,
07:31probably mum helped me in.
07:39You're going to get princes and sultans,
07:41you're going to get celebrities walking,
07:43you've got Hollywood A-listers just walking around.
07:45You feel like you're wearing posh pyjamas.
07:50Certainly a million miles away from my lifestyle.
07:54Paul will be schooled in the art of five-star service
07:57by the veteran of the desk.
08:00Well, hello there.
08:02Oh, good morning, sir, how do you do?
08:04I think it's very important to be committed.
08:07You need to be very committed from the moment you wake up in the morning.
08:11I will show you, and then if you have questions, you ask me.
08:15If you don't ask, I understand that everything is understood.
08:18And then I don't explain again.
08:21OK.
08:21OK?
08:23Yes, hello?
08:24Yes, it's François Xavier, the Mandarin Oriental.
08:26I've got a parcel to be sent to Oxford, not to France.
08:30Sorry if I lose patience,
08:32but when you speak to somebody who doesn't get it,
08:34I'm sorry, but please.
08:36OK?
08:37Thank you very much.
08:39Bye.
08:41Oh, bloody hell.
08:42The guest should come first.
08:44The guest comes first.
08:45First roll of concierge, guest comes first.
08:54Dottie, can you get somebody to pin spot the flowers, please?
08:58Yeah, and that's the next job.
09:00We're looking for perfection.
09:02We're looking for crisp lines.
09:04Elegant.
09:06So the briefing today is elegant.
09:09Over the summer, the hotel's ornate ballroom
09:11will host the most important day in the lives
09:14of some of the world's richest brides and grooms.
09:17We've actually got blue, little gold tassels coming.
09:21That looks better, doesn't it?
09:23It's all the little details.
09:24And each of them is the responsibility
09:27of Paul, director of catering operations.
09:30That's better, isn't it?
09:32If you're having a wedding in the Mandarin Oriental,
09:35spending £100,000,
09:36you're inviting 300 of your relatives from all over the world,
09:39it's a statement.
09:41There is little scuff marks on the back of the chairs,
09:44so little marks here.
09:46So, would you wipe the back of the chairs, please?
09:50People come to hotels for memories.
09:52That's what you're creating.
09:54You're creating that.
09:56If you mess something up,
09:58do you really want to mess somebody's wedding up?
10:00Somebody's special occasion?
10:03Chris, second time we've had a problem with florists.
10:07These naked candles are not allowed.
10:09They're not allowed.
10:14Samantha.
10:16It's all set up.
10:25I don't know if he had it here.
10:29I thought he just had it in the wardrobe.
10:32Soon, it will be the turn of Samantha and Reich
10:35to join the ranks of the Mandarin's golden couples.
10:38For me, in my mind, Mandarin Oriental is the best hotel in London.
10:46Only one.
10:47Because Chinese chairman, Mr. Xi,
10:50when he visits the UK,
10:53he and his wife live here.
10:55I want to make it incredible and unforgettable.
11:03We only have one wedding in our life.
11:07There's no divorce.
11:09Only husband die.
11:12Hello, Mr. Carnegie.
11:22It's midday, and new concierge Paul has graduated to taking guest calls.
11:28So you'd like the in-run dining menu and the rosemary?
11:31Yeah.
11:35I'm going to go and speak to Mr. Carnegie,
11:37and I'll let you know straight away.
11:38I'm sure.
11:39Thank you very much.
11:41Which room number was it?
11:43It was 222.
11:44Yes, Mr. Carnegie, François-Xavier,
11:47at the concierge.
11:48How are you?
11:52Yes, you're going to go now.
11:54Thank you very much, Mr.
11:54Bye.
11:57My French isn't great.
11:58It's not a problem?
12:02No, Mr. Carnegie likes to speak French with me.
12:05That's fine.
12:06Okay.
12:14Growing up, we've never had a massive amount of money.
12:27I went to a regular school and did regular things.
12:32I live in a council estate in Islington,
12:36rather than a mansion in rural Sussex.
12:39But I've still got a lot to offer the guest.
12:44It's the day before the Chinese wedding,
12:55and the banqueting team are getting the ballroom ship-shape.
12:58So no-one say any of this type of stuff.
13:00Do I have to pick it up at my age, with my bad back?
13:04But for front of house, it's not the only event on the agenda.
13:09Vehicle has arrived.
13:10We've called the room, but they didn't answer.
13:13I'll try again now.
13:14In the foyer, staff are gathering for the departure of a VIP guest.
13:20It's been friends with Tupac, Big E, everyone.
13:24Imagine his life, man.
13:27Steve, we had an agent pulled the luggage down.
13:30Yeah, it was two trolleys, two trolleys.
13:32Yeah, I'll take you far.
13:33Two rooms, yeah.
13:34Philip, can you go to 115 with a trolley, please?
13:39Yeah, it was two trolleys, yeah, I remember.
13:41It can be very exciting.
13:45It can be very overwhelming.
13:46People get very nervous, and often make mistakes through nervousness, so you've just got to be around.
13:51And I guess that's why we're always around when a VIP like this is departing or arriving, so that we can make sure that we set the tone.
14:00I saw Leonardo DiCaprio the other day came in about a couple of months ago to visit someone, and no one recognized him.
14:06I think only one of my colleagues recognized him.
14:08He had a cap on all the way down, his hair out like that.
14:11But no one recognized him, no one.
14:13Only when he got to the room, and when they opened the door, it was him.
14:17He was like, hello, can I get two beers?
14:24Should be coming soon.
14:29For Mr. Jones, Quincy Jones.
14:32Sorry to see you again.
14:33I am too, man.
14:34Look at this weather, you've got California weather here too.
14:37Phenomenal, will you bring it back with your next life for us?
14:39I don't know, you had it already.
14:40Follows you around for sunshine, I think.
14:42No, this was not regular normal.
14:45All right, Mr. Jones, thank you.
14:47You must have seen a lot, huh?
14:49Damn.
14:51Quincy Jones.
14:59And as usual, there are regular customers who need to be made to feel special.
15:04How are you?
15:05Very good.
15:06I know when you went, I did a little search.
15:09Okay.
15:09But do you want to see what they have in stock?
15:11Shall I tempt you?
15:12Sure, sure.
15:14So.
15:15Do we need a special...
15:16No, do you, shall we go over there?
15:18Okay.
15:20Francois Xavier has known the multi-millionaire watch collector, Mr. Calvillo, for over a decade.
15:26This is very elegant.
15:30Frank Muller.
15:32This is beautiful.
15:36I've got a video of it after.
15:37This is, this is...
15:39Today, Mr. Calvillo has a budget of nearly 400,000 pounds.
15:44And where is he?
15:45In France, and if you were interested, if you stay longer here, he's happy to fly over with
15:53the, with the product.
15:54If you have to send me first a mini, we have two prices of the product.
15:57Okay.
15:58250, 350.
15:59Okay.
16:00Okay.
16:01Can he contact you directly because he's down there?
16:04No, he can send me an email.
16:05Okay.
16:06Okay.
16:07Okay.
16:08Okay.
16:09And if we are there, we talk, and I talk to you from there.
16:12After 17 years, and you see people regularly and so on, you build something.
16:18Okay.
16:19So the, you want the first one, and...
16:21The one with the round world.
16:22All right.
16:23The first one.
16:24And the other one, the one with the, you know, probably your mechanism.
16:27The junior concierge, when they start, they need to understand that it takes time.
16:34It takes time to trust people.
16:36Thank you very much.
16:37Oh, I can send you a text on your own business.
16:39It takes time to be who you want to be.
16:46To help Paul in his new role at the hotel, head concierge, Nigel, is giving him some words
16:52of advice.
16:53I think what we've got to be really careful of when we're on shift is not being overly familiar.
17:00Yeah.
17:01And keeping a refined element.
17:02Yeah.
17:03If a guest turns to walk away, that means they're done with you now.
17:07Yeah.
17:08Nigel wants energy.
17:09Nigel wants passion.
17:10He wants somebody who is committed to the job.
17:14Proactive for concierge for me means almost knowing what a guest wants by sizing them up and summarizing
17:21exactly what they're like in 30 seconds of meeting them.
17:24Yeah.
17:25And looking at things like the jewelry they're wearing, the way they're dressed, you use your
17:31instinct with that.
17:32If you can anticipate their needs, their likes, their dislikes and add an additional feature
17:37to a service exchange, it's an amazing thing.
17:41I never forget.
17:42But I see the whole concierge on Saturday.
17:47Perfect.
17:48No worries, Mrs. Robert.
17:49Have a very good afternoon.
17:50I've got the air conditioning.
17:53Gaining a guest's respect, gaining a guest's trust and loyalty as a concierge is imperative.
18:03It's really important for us to know our guests.
18:08I use the term intimately, but I'm not meaning it literally.
18:14Personally, I think of all the staff and the receptionist friends.
18:22Have you seen the series Cheers?
18:24Okay.
18:25So this is it.
18:26It's like, this is the place where everybody knows my name.
18:29Rule number one, make everybody feel important.
18:33Windows.
18:34Windows.
18:35I'm over here.
18:36Let me come down and do it right now.
18:41Yeah.
18:42No guests are more important to the hotel than wedding guests.
18:48You have to come up through.
18:53Overseeing tomorrow's Chinese wedding is Paul, director of catering operations.
18:58With the horses, we get a lot of dust comes across here.
19:03And what you don't want is you don't want that.
19:05You know, that's all tidy now.
19:06But along there, you can still see it, so.
19:09Paul and his team will be working well into the night to make sure everything is perfect.
19:14The type of people that work in hotels is a certain breed of people.
19:19You actually live and breathe it, so it becomes part and parcel of you.
19:23I'm going to speak to the Chinese chef as it's his food.
19:27People who work in other industries, they do an eight-hour day, and then all of a sudden, they want to go home.
19:32We might need to be there another four or five hours. We don't think about that.
19:35Let me take the bag. Welcome to the Mandarin Oriental.
19:40Ooh, that's a heavy bag.
19:43As dusk falls, the wedding team are joined by the hotel's night shift.
19:49Cheers.
19:52Taking over the smooth running of all aspects of hotel life.
19:57Hello, darling. How are you?
20:00Among them, 22-year-old Vanya, who started cleaning rooms in the Mandarin Oriental two years ago when she first moved to London from Bulgaria.
20:09OK. OK. Thank you. Bye-bye.
20:12I'm going home soon. I'm going home soon.
20:16Her friend, Raiminta, has worked with her in housekeeping since those first days.
20:21She all the time was crying in the rooms. When she started, now she's supervisor.
20:26She was the only one catching me.
20:28Always crying and coming in. She's crying.
20:31I said, stop crying. Are you annoying me?
20:35We need to clean the rooms and that's it.
20:38Oh, this and that, boyfriend, that and another one and everything.
20:43For me, it's the most important department, of course.
20:47Like, we've been talking one day with some colleagues and we've been thinking,
20:51oh, my God, if it's not us, the guests are not going to come back.
20:55Like, who are going to clean their rooms?
20:57Who are going to make everything clean and tidy for them?
21:00For me personally, housekeeping is really important. Really, really important.
21:05We have a lovely, sweet, quiet night.
21:13A year ago, Vanya was promoted to night-time housekeeping supervisor.
21:17She'll be on her feet until seven in the morning.
21:20Hallelujah, my dear.
21:22Housekeeping, Vanya speaking. The pager rings. And the night starts.
21:27Housekeeping, Vanya. Tell me that name.
21:30Shampoo, four shaving kits, three soaps, one conditioner.
21:39Good evening, madam. You request something else I can assist you?
21:43Good evening, sir. How are you?
21:46They live in their world. I live in my world where I'm, like, counting the penny for the rent.
21:52But the Mandarin is the place that we're together.
22:01At the beginning, when I see a bag from Chanel, I was like, oh, my God, you know?
22:05I was taking the bags home because it was something huge for me.
22:09But one day, you just take the bags, like, oh, come on.
22:14You just get used to everything, you know?
22:17Tell me, darling. One box. A box full of water.
22:22Even at night, housekeeping must meet their target of dealing with all requests in seven minutes.
22:28I still, sometimes I cannot, I cannot manage in seven minutes.
22:45Ugh!
22:47Two, three, four in the morning, it's like they ask for service.
22:56They just ask for something and they want it now.
22:59So there should be someone who should give it to them.
23:02Busy, busy.
23:04Room attendants, porters, the supervisors, receptions, switchboard, concierge, everyone.
23:11Everyone. Everyone's up there.
23:14The main, LG main bathroom, the toilet.
23:21Okay, thank you. Bye-bye.
23:23I'm kind of looking for a new job,
23:28because I want to stop this night shift.
23:43I want to find something during the day so I can have my private life, finally.
23:48You cannot do anything because during the day you're sleeping,
23:51you cannot go anywhere, like, for example, to go out with friends for a drink.
23:55And with my boyfriend we see each other for one hour to maximum,
24:00between, like, my waking up and my leaving.
24:03Well, it's fine, it's fine.
24:07Tell me, darling.
24:09Okay, certainly, I'll call him back here.
24:11Okay, okay, thank you. Bye-bye.
24:14Darling, can you please deliver to 707 a kettle?
24:18Sorry?
24:21707.
24:23Okay, thank you. Bye-bye.
24:34Trevor, François-Xavier, the Mandarin Oriental, how are you?
24:38Oh, I'm ecstatic. Thank you very much.
24:40I would like to ask you a question for one, two, three, four tickets for Matilda,
24:45but I need the best tickets in the theatre.
24:48Impossible.
24:49What is it?
24:50Oh, I will tell you something.
24:52That's not a musical, that's actually a show featuring magicians.
24:56New concierge Paul is still in his first week,
25:00but he is already beginning to appreciate the perks of working in the five-star world.
25:05The guy who won Britain's Got Talent, he's in there.
25:08I'd always go and see Matilda.
25:11I changed the booking for a guest for a restaurant three or four times.
25:15It was quite difficult, but it wasn't beyond impossible.
25:19They gave me $200, and I was like, huh?
25:24I'd never seen anything like it.
25:26I prefer to go Matilda than the magician.
25:28Yeah.
25:29For me, if I go to Sainsbury's and the bill comes in at more than £30 for the weekly shop, I'm like, ooh.
25:42Upstairs in their suite, bride and groom Samantha and Reich are welcoming their guests from China.
25:49The man that always cheer me up, supporting me all the time.
26:05As is tradition, Reich's wooing his bride with envelopes full of money.
26:15Once this goes out, how long do you need?
26:17Uh, just so quick, 10 minutes maybe.
26:21Yeah, okay.
26:22Samantha and Reich have hired their own chef.
26:25He'll be responsible for producing the traditional eight-course Chinese banquet.
26:30Where's the rice?
26:31The rice.
26:37One vital ingredient appears to be missing.
26:42Have you not arranged the rice?
26:43Yeah.
26:45Okay, so good I talk.
26:46So we need to arrange rice, chef.
26:47Okay.
26:49We'll deal with it.
26:50He just needs to cook.
26:51Yeah, I'll deal with all the issues, yeah?
26:53Okay?
26:54But that's why we communicate, yeah?
26:57It's their chef, not ours.
26:59I was nearly not rice at a Chinese wedding.
27:01No, but that's what I, that's my job.
27:03That's what we do.
27:05Check everything, twice.
27:07You know, I can walk into a room and know there's a light bulb out.
27:09I can see if something hasn't been silvered.
27:12I will ask certain leading questions to some of my management team
27:15and I will check the fact that they have the answers I want
27:18because if they don't have the timings or they don't have the vintage of the wine,
27:22I know they're having a mental jolly.
27:24Which one do you like?
27:25This one?
27:26Perfect.
27:27Perfect.
27:39Bride and groom Samantha and Reich share vows with their nearest and dearest.
28:12Before this relationship, I feel quite lonely, to be honest.
28:16If we can have the marriage like this in the rest of my life, I will be extremely happy.
28:21Yeah?
28:33Let me see this watch.
28:35Wow, look at him.
28:37Look at his face.
28:41We are going to go a little bit around the hotel, if you want.
28:44Yeah, fantastic.
28:45I want to show you the main restaurant that we work with,
28:48your more formal and trendy places around.
28:51Please, lead the way.
28:52I'm happy.
28:53Are you a bit familiar with Knightsbridge, or...?
28:55The hotel is situated in one of London's most affluent neighborhoods.
29:01You have exclusive shops.
29:03You have beautiful parkland, beautiful department store, Knightsbridge.
29:10You have a little bit of everything.
29:12And it's the job of a concierge to know every inch of their territory.
29:17How familiar are you with London?
29:20Well, I'm in London as in Knightsbridge.
29:23Yeah, no, no, I wouldn't say I'm overly strong.
29:27Mr. Cha, good morning.
29:28Good morning.
29:29François Xavier from the Mandarin.
29:31François Xavier knows they have to get their guests the best tables in the best restaurants.
29:36So this restaurant has been here since 1968.
29:42Knightsbridge, Chinese, upmarket.
29:44It's pretty impressive.
29:45It stood the test of time.
29:46Yeah, I know, I know, I know, I know.
29:49It has this pattern that some guests love so much.
29:55Lots of celebrities here, football players.
29:58And this is where you find all the famous.
30:00Sarkozy.
30:01Yeah, Mr. Sarkozy.
30:03Get in.
30:04I mean, to know somebody in a restaurant is always an advantage because it's personalized.
30:14So it's very important to always speak to somebody that you know because you know that
30:20then you leave the person in good hands.
30:23Fantastic.
30:24François.
30:26Sorry.
30:27How are you?
30:28Very well.
30:29So this, so Paul, this is Dominico, the restaurant manager.
30:33Lovely to meet you.
30:34I think to be a good concierge in a five-star hotel, you need to understand luxury.
30:40You need to be able to appreciate good food.
30:42You need to be able to appreciate beautiful things, beautiful craftsmanship.
30:47And so to a certain extent, you need to be able to understand the guest needs.
30:54Well, it's nice to see a different side to South Kensington.
30:57The only thing I'd seen previous was Dippy the Diplodocus.
31:00Oh dear.
31:05Very good afternoon, Paul.
31:06It's François Xavier at the Mandarin Oriental.
31:08How are you?
31:09I've got my director of communication coming with one of our top VIP that I cannot name at the moment.
31:16And they would, they are going to see Kinky Boots tonight.
31:21Is it possible for you to keep a table at the American bar?
31:25Sarah is responsible for looking after some of the hotel's most valued guests.
31:30I was director of public relations at the Four Seasons in Los Angeles.
31:35And got to know many Hollywood icons, producers, directors, screenwriters.
31:42And many of them are very dear friends of mine.
31:46Can you just try to book a table, but on a quiet spot?
31:49Because I can't think the person would like to be recognized.
31:52I can reassure you that you will be very happy to have him in the hotel.
31:57They come to stay at the Mandarin because they know me.
32:04But equally, you know, you're providing business, you're giving business to the hotel.
32:10A gentle rapping.
32:25Tapping at my chamber door.
32:27How are you, my darling?
32:29Oh, thank you, my darling.
32:31How you feel?
32:32How was...
32:33Did you have a good...
32:34We could go to Kinky Boots on Thursday, if you want.
32:45No, I want.
32:46Yeah.
32:47What else?
32:48Yeah, I've changed Tuesday at mine to Friday.
32:51No worries either way.
32:53Yeah.
32:54Shea Sarah.
32:56Cooking at home.
32:58So what?
32:59So I'm just going to be around the hotel today.
33:01All right.
33:04Right.
33:05Who loves you?
33:07Oddly enough, I never check into hotels.
33:10I arrive, I'm taken up to a room by queue, my personal, and everything isn't a red carpet.
33:19Some of it's, you know, through the kitchen.
33:23A lot of it's through the kitchen.
33:25You know, when you're in a city, Paris, London, Rome, you want to go out and enjoy the place?
33:32You can't really do that.
33:35So that's one of the, I guess, downsides of high profiles.
33:42I'm from the other side of the tracks.
33:45And so what I get in terms of perks, they're all gravy to me.
33:53You know, I think the only really special request that I have is privacy.
33:58Just don't bother me if I say don't.
34:02And, normally, I don't want to be bothered.
34:06You're an exception, of course.
34:13Ladies and gentlemen, would you please welcome your bride,
34:15and strolling by the bridegroom, Mr. and Mrs. Keith.
34:19OK, chefs, we're calling.
34:31Yeah, yeah, yeah.
34:32So, soup, 15 minutes.
34:34With the wedding party in the ballroom...
34:37Thank you very much. Let's go.
34:40..the banqueting team starts serving the eight-course meal.
34:44It's serious now.
34:47We're going smack into big service.
34:53He's only got eight fish.
34:55Chef, where's the lady?
34:59We've got nine tables, yeah?
35:01What are we going to do?
35:03The chef brought in by the bride and groom
35:05doesn't have enough fish for each table.
35:08You're going to have to split.
35:09You're going to have to split.
35:10You're going to have to split.
35:11You're going to see how you put them now?
35:12Yeah, the last two tables.
35:15I need one now to go.
35:20One.
35:21This pay is small.
35:23Chef, I know that, but, chef...
35:25Yeah?
35:27Come on.
35:28There we go.
35:29An event can't go wrong.
35:31You don't come to a five-star hotel for something to go wrong.
35:34No splitting any more, yeah?
35:35I won't allow it.
35:36Let's go.
35:37Top table, please.
35:38Top table.
35:39Top table.
35:40Top table.
35:41My self-worth comes from the enjoyment that I see other people having.
35:48With the wedding in full swing, no-one's noticing the missing fish.
35:53Don't believe you're just wow.
36:13Come on.
36:18Who are your own, ladies and gentlemen?
36:27You're welcome. Have a good night.
36:30With the wedding in the ballroom and the hotel at full capacity,
36:34the night shift is as busy as ever.
36:38Housekeeping, Vanya.
36:40Vanya has had enough, and she's got some news for her colleagues.
36:44I was recently offered a new opportunity at a different company
36:47and have decided to accept the offer.
36:49It has been a pleasure working with such a great team at Mandarin Oriental,
36:54but unfortunately, the time has come for me to leave.
36:58I will miss you, all of you, as you have been my second family here.
37:02That's our very good memory to each other.
37:06Good luck to your new career.
37:09She'll be leaving the hotel in a few weeks.
37:12I'll have more time with my family, even on Skype with something different.
37:17I'll have more time with my boyfriend.
37:20Eight, nine months for doing only night, it's enough.
37:24I'm thinking about how people fall in love in a serious way.
37:34Maybe just the...
37:35Inside the hotel, the wedding party is winding to an end.
37:39We are falling in love with you.
37:43It's a very long day for the staff.
37:46The saying in hotels are, you never go out with anybody that's not in a hotel
37:51because they won't understand you.
37:56That can be hard sometimes.
37:58It's not a good career if you're not committed.
38:01I've seen relationships strained.
38:07I was in a relationship some time back
38:10and my partner had a problem with it.
38:17It's a vocation.
38:18For his dedication to guests' happiness,
38:33Francois Xavier is receiving an unexpected pat on the back.
38:39One of his managers, Roman,
38:41has some good news about the newly introduced Mandarin Oriental Staff Awards.
38:45Well done.
38:47We're nominating you for the fan of the quarter.
38:49Oh, dear.
38:50Yeah.
38:51There's an invitation to the quarterly party.
38:54You can bring a guest.
38:55And if we have a little party,
38:56then basically a couple of drinks
38:58and then the winner will be announced.
39:00Pleasure working with you.
39:01The winner is always all mine.
39:03It's more and more things.
39:05Oh, dear.
39:06To be fairly honest with you,
39:07I was extremely surprised to be nominated.
39:10At school, I never used to win any award
39:13because, in fact, when I was at school,
39:15I was very different.
39:17I never used to do the utmost to achieve good result,
39:21but I was trying to think what was the minimum I could do.
39:26So I have to admit that I've changed a lot.
39:29Oh, it's amazing.
39:38What, this one here?
39:40Yeah, this building.
39:42Oh, yeah, look.
39:43On the flags.
39:44It's been that building since the 1800s.
39:48This is where I usually would go down there
39:50and then into the pits,
39:52down about 50 stairs.
39:55Oh, you're going in the visitor's entrance, right?
39:57Oh, how nice.
40:02Oh, lovely.
40:03Look at this.
40:05New concierge Paul has got the day off
40:08and he's brought his nan in
40:10for a taste of the five-star life.
40:12Shall I try all these, team?
40:15Well, I might be a bit daring
40:16and go for the lychee and strawberry.
40:18Can I just start with the breakfast?
40:19Yeah, you can.
40:20Because I'm a coward.
40:21Of course you can.
40:23You don't have to copy me.
40:24This is about you.
40:25This is about what you want.
40:26That's an amuse-bouche.
40:28Ooh, lovely.
40:29Anacopa, raspberry and lechis.
40:32Oh, fantastic.
40:33This is all self-taught.
40:34What you see in front of you is self-taught.
40:37None of my family ever went to university.
40:40None of my family ever worked in the hotel industry.
40:42Get ready for this.
40:43If you had something before you came in,
40:45it completely neutralizes it
40:46so you're then ready to go for the whole thing.
40:52That's good.
40:54I'd be useless at a concierge
40:56because I've lived in London most of my life
40:57and I didn't know where Harvey Nichols was.
40:59No?
41:01Oh, see, I knew that at least.
41:02So that was a good start.
41:03If I'd have said that in my interview,
41:04I don't think I'd have got the job.
41:05It feels like a part of a circus sometimes.
41:16It was the most unbelievable place I've ever worked,
41:20but I don't feel out of place at all in the mandarin.
41:23No, but you do need to settle down
41:25because I'd like some great-grandchildren, actually.
41:28Fantastic, yeah.
41:29Yeah.
41:30I've got to make do with a puppy pool.
41:52There's so much that is to be enjoyed about luxury hotel
41:56that, for example,
41:58the average youth hostel can't compete with.
42:01We feel very good here.
42:03I don't know why,
42:04but we feel good here.
42:06It's like a magic.
42:08Not everybody can stay here.
42:10It's only few of us who are able to stay
42:12in nice hotels like this.
42:14That kind of makes you feel special.
42:22Well done, Mohamed.
42:24Well done.
42:24Tonight, it's the hotel's staff awards ceremony.
42:29Everybody is a winner here tonight,
42:30but we had to choose one.
42:33Oh, dear.
42:34The success of the hotel
42:36depends on keeping the most dedicated staff
42:39feeling happy and well-loved.
42:41It was very tight,
42:42a very tight race, as you can imagine,
42:44with such talent all around.
42:46A fact recognized by general manager
42:49Mr. Sintez.
42:51The winner for the fan of the quarter
42:53is...
42:55Francois-Gervier.
42:56APPLAUSE
42:57The flowers.
43:08Francois-Gervier, the flowers.
43:09The flowers.
43:15He looks like a French in general.
43:19The Napoleonic Wars.
43:21I love to think that in 17 years
43:26I will still be there.
43:29I'm a man of habit.
43:31And I don't think I could walk somewhere else
43:35above anything I love the place where I work.
43:41Vanya's last night shift is coming to an end.
44:04Someone vomited at the reception.
44:08And someone needs to clean it up.
44:10But no one is picking up the phone.
44:13I'm off.
44:15Someone vomited at the reception,
44:17but I don't care anymore.
44:18It's 7 in 3 minutes and I have to go.
44:22Goodbye, buddy.
44:23Goodbye, Mr. Daudi.
44:24Goodbye, Mr. Daudi.
44:26Goodbye, Mr. Daudi.
44:26The things you missed all the time
44:41you've been working during the night.
44:43Sleeping in one bed with my boyfriend.
44:46Together, sharing the bed,
44:47not only the pillow.
44:52Are you going to miss your uniform, Vanya?
44:54No, really.
44:58Your friends.
45:00You see the sun.
45:12Bye, bud.
45:13Oh, no.
45:13Look at that smile.
45:14Look at that smile.
45:14She's going home.
45:16I'm leaving.
45:18Darling, it's my last day.
45:20Yeah, that's why I'm smiling like that.
45:24Bye-bye.
45:26Next time at the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park.
45:41I'm waiting for the horse to turn up.
45:42Should the horse have to ride?
45:44I can't believe it.
45:46Sometimes you come a little bit like a museum.
45:49You want to come in and you say, wow.
45:50And main away, table 25, please.
45:53I think with Michelin Guide, to lose the second star, it would be a problem.
45:58Spencer Matthews, Louis Smith and Lydia Bright, to name a few who compete for the crown in the snow cross and ski cross in the Jump Live final Sunday 8.30.
46:15Next tonight, from being on the wrong side of the law to finding their faith, we are meeting the young men determined to make change in extremely British Muslims.
46:22We'll see you next time.
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