Within Erasmus MC in Rotterdam, Vincent Vissers (42) is catering manager on behalf of ISS, one of the world's largest facility services providers. At the hospital, he runs two restaurants, two coffee bars and the entire banqueting department.
How did you get into the hospitality industry?
''Like so many others, I started out as an apprentice chef. Work, work, work. Working hours. Once I started to make some progress, develop myself and take on more responsibility, I eventually became a chef. I took over a hotel, moved to the next five-star hotel with an even bigger team and kept growing. The responsibility just kept increasing, as did the hours I was away from home.”
You have made a drastic decision.
''That's right, I was just working. At home I had a young family and hardly any social life. Something had to change, there had to be peace and regularity. And that happened, I chose stability, because in the end it's all about a good and healthy balance. I chose something I like and that is comparable to what I was used to: the business catering industry. But with the same quality and mentality that I was used to from the catering industry."
What does your job look like now?
''I manage a team of 30-35 people and lunch is our peak time. That's when 1,400 people come into our two restaurants every day. We also provide banquets in the hospital with drinks, meetings and occasionally a dinner. Look, the hotel level is quite high. I have taken that experience with me to my current job. I try to involve people as much as possible by emphasizing quality and not being satisfied with something too quickly. I always want to raise the bar a little bit higher.”
How do you combine all the tasks you have on a daily basis?
''As a manager, you are more than just a director. People also come to me when there are problems at home. I sometimes say that every employee has their own backpack filled with nice things, but sometimes also with less nice things. You have to deal with that. I can deal with it well, I am a people person in that respect. In any case, it is a very broad profession, you experience all kinds of things. And then there is the performance part; the figures, turnover, margins and quality. But I think the working atmosphere is the most important thing. I am there for everyone, always and everywhere.”
What do you enjoy most?
“Building something from scratch. I had done it before for Erasmus, now I could do it again. Realizing efficiency improvements is wonderful to do. As I said, we have also made great strides in the area of quality, and that was achieved thanks to the efforts of the entire team. Good is not good enough, it has to be good or excellent. At a catering company, that is sometimes different, then excellent is good enough. I did not and do not agree with that. I always try to stay focused and always look at what can be improved. I like a bit of pressure, it keeps me sharp.”