Working Interview with Cecilia

Posted By Cecilia Lortscher

Updated 2 years ago

Job of the week:

Pastry Chef

Delta Banff Royal Canadian Lodge

Who to contact:

Jana Minor

Human Resource Manager

Phone: 403-760-6987 (Direct)

Fax: 403-760-6963

Email: jminor@deltabanff.com

In person: 494 Banff Ave.

About the job:

What do you get when you paint a stroke of blueberry compote on a plate, top it with a generous wedge of a graham cracker crusted, toffee flavored custard pie, sliced banana, hand whisked Bailey’s whipped cream, a dusting of cocoa powder, add a side dollop of home made vanilla bean ice cream and some caramelized banana and then garnish it all with a strawberry rose and a sprig of mint?

Voila…c’est Bonnoffee Pie! Bonoffee Pie is what Pastry Chef Jesse Bailey prepared for me, Human Resource Manager Jana Minor and Head Chef Hans Hacker to taste. (Now that’s a perk!) Aside from Pastry Chef Jesse Bailey’s position and needing another couple of full-time breakfast cooks in October, the Delta Banff Royal Canadian Lodge is fully staffed!

Jesse is leaving to go to advertising school…not because he doesn’t love it…cause he does…but he (wisely) thinks he should have two career options under his apron string belt.

During the interview, Jesse kept busy making a tasty, tart and sweet, lemon curd for lemon meringue tarts, but his true love is chocolate work and making ice cream and sorbets with the freshest ingredients. His job is to create all of the cold pastries and desserts for the a la carte menu in the 77 seat Evergreen dining room, located in the Delta Banff Royal Canadian Lodge, on Banff Ave. as well as to create all the desserts for private functions of up 140 guests.

The hotel and restaurant have been open for the past eight years in the locations where Evergreen Court used to be. This is the 60th anniversary of the Charlton’s being open for business in Banff.

Check out the Delta Banff at www.deltahotels.com.

Secrets Revealed:

Not many people know it’s there and that they offer “elegance without attitude”. Oh…and they grow over 15 of their own herbs in their own garden!

For Better or Worst:

Getting to work with all the fresh ingredients and the freedom to experiment and be creative are the best! And the worst (for Jesse) is that he gets in trouble for shouting to other cooks down the line. (The hazards of an open concept kitchen.)

Must love:

Pastries and working independently.

Ease of Learning:

Jana says it takes about four weeks to train for the position.

Experience Required:

Red Seal or 6 months to a year as a pastry chef.

Equipment Required:

Your own knives preferably.

Uniform or Attire:

You bring work shoes. Black. Everything else is provided.

Starting Wage:

$13/hour

Hours of Operation:

Restaurant is open from 6:30 a.m. until 10 p.m. Pastry chef works 2 – 10:30 making the restaurant smell yummy!

Opportunity for Advancement:

Of course! Jesse started as a breakfast supervisor. Says Jana, “We like to move people around – switch it up.”

Extra Benefits:

(i.e. health benefits, accommodation, transportation, meals, discounts).

Health benefits after a year, “great accommodation” for $10.50 to $16.50 per day. It’s a 20 minute walk to work, or you can bike and lock up in secure underground parking. Kitchen staff gets free meals and all staff gets 50% off. Plus there’s the staff cafeteria where you can get a meal for $3 at lunch or dinner time!

Perks and Free Stuff: (like movies or ski passes or chocolate or all the coffee you can drink)

Tri area ski passes in the winter and corporate blue canoe passes this summer, 20% off Grotto Spa (on property) and discounts at all Delta properties across Canada as well as complimentary use of the pool and hot tub at Charlton’s Cedar Court.

What the Employer wants you to know:

The Delta Banff Royal Canadian Lodge recently got an Employer of Choice Award, an award is given by the Alberta Hotel & Lodging Association. Only five properties in Banff got the award and two of five are managed by the same team – the Delta Banff Royal Canadian Lodge and the Charlton’s Cedar Court. The award is given through an audit of HR practices and interviews of staff opinions. The top 3 opinions: 1.) The great staff accommodation 2.) Positive rapport with managers 3.) Overall positive work environment.

Would I do it again:

It sounds great to me!

The Working Interview is free and fun! If you’re hiring and would like your job to be featured, you can reach Cecilia at theworkinginterview@telus.net or at 609-9957. When Cecilia isn’t doing quality control you might find her baking cookies at Sweet

Madeira.

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