JULIEN LAMENSCH
Julien Lamensch is Belgian. He lived in Brussels for 12 years then left with his parents, to live in Stuttgart. At 16, their destination was France. We might as well mention right away that concerning travel, Julien has had some experience. So, to keep up the rhythm, he thought that the hotel industry would be an ideal passport for maintaining his European spirit and why not go even further…. A question and answer session with Julien.
J.L.: Even though my grandfather had a restaurant, I wasn’t very attracted by the restaurant industry. Me, I’m more into the hotel business: traveling throughout the world, luxury, the well oiled backstage of a permanent show. In my last year of high school, I discovered the Institut Paul Bocuse and decided to come see it in person : the chateau, dinner at Saisons – the Institute’s application restaurant – I didn’t need to see more, I was captivated.
J.L.: I would say that we are at ease right from the beginning. The profs accompany us, are implicated in our work and are by our side. If I had to summarize the first year, I would say that it is a delicious appetizer (laughs). I had my first internship at the Lagun Resort in Bora Bora, an Orient Express 5 star palace. I spent 3 months in room service and one in the kitchen. A unique experience, over there, there is a Zen attitude which is very contagious. My 2nd year internship at the HYATT Hotel in Brussels gave me the opportunity to work more in finances which is for me, the key to the hotel industry. I was a substitute for the customer and supplier accounting. Finally, in the last year, the Brussels financial manager, already in his new job at the HYATT Paris, Vendome gave me a helping hand. I stayed for 9 months and at the end of the internship, I asked if there was an opening for me…
J.L.: Exactly, They offered me a place in HYATT Services in Mayence, Germany. It is a structure which is directly linked to the head office and assures a central administrative role and rationalizes costs. It is a back office which manages the accounting, marketing, sales, and resas – editorial note- understand reservations, of course.
The group’s hotels can use our services by means of a subscription. They entrusted me with the French, Swiss and Italian establishments. I have a cost control job in which I “read” the numbers, balance the budgets, follow the closings and update the accounting and financial norms. A global service…
J.L.: I have realized that I really enjoy what I am doing, but I would like to go even further in the domain. For me, the ideal would be to do an MBA which would allow me to position myself better for this type of post. It might also be a chance to travel, why not in Canada, where my family has moved to. At any rate, I feel ready for the future; the school gave me confidence in myself. When we leave the Institut, we have all that we need to start a career. Rigor and consistence do the rest during our internships. What you need to tell the future graduates is that the contacts and networks are created as early as the first hours at school. Just believe in yourself and push open the doors…
