Michel Roux’s Service follows a six-month learning curve of eight new front-of-house recruits, none of whom had previously thought of hospitality as a career path, as they train with some of the biggest names in the industry.
The show, which has been produced with the close involvement of the Academy of Food and Wine Service (AFWS), is intended to raise the profile of a career in restaurant service, as opposed to the kitchen, as so many other reality programmes do.
Attracting talent
Sophie Roberts-Brown, AFWS executive director, said she hoped the show would demonstrate the rewarding nature of a career in hospitality service.
“We are delighted that this project has resulted in what promises to be riveting viewing,” she said.
“The four-week series will inevitably raise the profile of front-of-house as a viable career in the industry and comes as a much-needed boost to the front-of-house profession.”
Michel Roux’s Service will follow the trainees as they learn basic customer service skills, as well as the importance of offering quality service and life skills such as discipline, self-confidence and teamwork.
Scholarships
Believing that waiters are the unsung stars of the restaurant industry, Roux will ultimately select two recruits to take up life-changing scholarships with the AFWS.
The training body will be providing a range of downloadable career information at its newly relaunched website (www.afws.co.uk), with fact sheets, service advice, blogs and interviews available.
The eight-part series will begin on 12 January on BBC2.
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