Rock Tandukar
The endorphins from feeling looked after and knowing someone genuinely cares is incredibly powerful for anyone's self-esteem and personal development. It’s something Hotel Manager Rock Tandukar can attest to through her own welcoming introduction into hospitality and a standard of service she tries to uphold for all those who walk through the door at Hotel Bruny – whether staff, locals or visitors to Tasmania. Many would agree these traits are echoed throughout the industry, making it a supportive environment to be a part of.
A huge benefit of the supportive nature of the industry is that it presents opportunities without bias and this perhaps is why those who pursue hospitality are so compassionate. It doesn’t matter what your background, education level, or nationality is, hospitality presents a great opportunity to try something new and experience a range of people and cultures that may be lacking in other workplaces. The skills obtained in any sector of hospitality can then be taken into other career paths, destinations or personal situations, because at the end of the day it is much more than just pouring a cold one – a career in hospitality sets you up for life.
Rock is grateful to experience this personal development for herself as well as the journey that has led her to become Hotel Manager at Hotel Bruny in Tasmania's South. Her career began on her home soil in Nepal and her inspiration for following this path was not so traditional, in fact she thanks anime for where she is today.
“It is a very funny story, to be honest. I watched an anime called One Piece – it's about a little crew going on a boat. There's a character called Sanji and he's a chef. And I thought, if I study hospitality, I can go on a cruise, do it myself, get a crew. That started when I was little, so that's how I got into hospitality.”
This childhood dream meant she began working in hospitality from grade ten and then pursued a degree in hotel management. “I just enjoyed studying it,” she says. “I wanted to grow a little bit more. So I thought I'd come to Australia because I know that it is known worldwide for its hospitality industry.”
Having built on her hotel experience in Malaysia, she felt confident to take the leap and moved to Sydney, Australia where she began in housekeeping while also working at McDonalds. “I'm very proud of the journey because that has taught me everything I need to know now. Being a manager, you need to know every part of the hotel – so I did housekeeping, I did my kitchen work when I was doing an internship, and then I've also done everything in front of house. So yes, it has been a great journey and it has taught me a lot in life.”
She continued to grow within the industry by managing takeaway shops, working in cafes and holiday inns before her most recent venture in Tasmania.
“It's a beautiful place. It's amazing. Every day is different down here at Bruny. The locals are nice and you get to see a lot of people. That's why I love working on the island.I recently met Curtis Stone, who was here. It was like a dream to see him.” Rock adds, “It is fun. I have gone further than what I thought I would when I was a kid, so it's pretty good to know I’ve reached this stage and there are many more things to do in the future. I'm looking forward to it.”
It's been a worthwhile career choice for Rock, where the skills she has learnt have been transferable everywhere she has lived. “You get to learn from everyone you see or meet or serve in your life and you learn from each other as a team as well. It is a beautiful industry and it is fun to work in hospitality.” She says, “There are a lot of opportunities in the industry. I have not seen anywhere else like it. If you’re an accountant, it’s like a jet rocket. And after that, I don't think there's anything else to do. But in hospitality, for example after being a hotel manager, you can go on to be a general manager, from there you can own your own hotel, then you can build one, you can get your own team, you can build another franchise. So you can keep on growing your business and your career together.”
“If we're making everyone happy, that makes everyone of us happy as well, because that's what we're here for, to welcome them here so that they feel at home anywhere they go. It’s an important thing.”
Coming originally from Nepal and then living in Malaysia, Rock reflects, “When I first moved to Australia, I thought people would not understand what I'm talking about because the accent is very different. I would always think, what if I speak and they don't understand? And then I just started to learn from all the customer service work and how to talk to customers. We had to take the orders and if I didn't understand the order would be wrong, so I would be very focused. That's how I learned to talk to people!" Comparing this timid and shy stage of her life, she is proud of how far she has come. “Now I am very different. I'm happy. I love talking to people.”
Many who work in the industry understand that there is a big difference between serving someone and looking after them. As Rock puts it, “If we're making everyone happy, that makes everyone of us happy as well, because that's what we're here for, to welcome them here so that they feel at home anywhere they go. It’s an important thing.”
