Thomas Sorcinelli, Savoy Grill

Thomas Sorcinelli discusses his role as General Manager at Savoy Grill and his own inspirations with regards to pursuing a career as a Chef.

Name: Thomas Sorcinelli

Place of work: The Savoy Grill

Role: General Manager

Bio: Thomas was born in Corinaldo in the Marche region on Italy’s Adriatic coast. Thomas joined the Gordon Ramsay Group in July 2013 as General Manager of The Savoy Grill.

Chef Skills

Thomas Sorcinelli takes us through his personal experiences whilst being in the Culinary Industry. These key skills that young Chefs and industry professionals learn as part of their basic training.

How long have you been in this role?

Almost two years

What advice would you give to someone just entering into the industry?

Hospitality is a very exciting and growing market but very demanding.  It allows you to learn a lot, it makes you push the boundaries to the next level and sometimes even exceed expectations. My advice would be: Never give up, keep yourself motivated, be determined and focus on your targets.

What experience and how many years in your opinion would someone need in order to progress to the top level of the industry?

I have been in the hospitality business for 23 years and I am still learning every day. Years of experience in the business will certainly help by giving you more confidence and credibility. There are so many good hospitality management schools out there, to give you a strong platform from which to start building up your career. Another reason to be able to reach the top level, would be working alongside great professionals in very successful enterprises. Look for inspiring people who have the vision and are capable of achieving astonishing results.

What are your ultimate top five tips for someone looking to start a career in the hospitality sector?

• Question yourself if the hospitality industry is where you want to be. It's hard but seriously exciting.
• Plan your next step accurately. Select a school or course and identify in which sector you would see yourself projected in the industry.
• Challenge yourself. Remember what you learned today, won't be enough tomorrow.
• Be ambitious. See the TOP as the bottom line, so you work harder.
• Be creative. This industry keeps evolving daily, and there is always space for new and better entrepreneurs. 

Who are the key Chefs and restaurants that someone should be speaking to and trying to gain experience with?

 I could eventually mention thousands of them. However, I admire Gordon  Ramsay, I personally think is the most all round Chef. The Savoy Grill is a  good place to learn the basics of food and service.  Ferran Adria, the Chef who introduced the entire world to the molecular cuisine, an inspiration for the new generation of Chefs. Last but not least Gualtiero Marchesi, the man who opened the door to the nouvelle cuisine. His restaurant in  Erbusco could be the best introduction to both excellent food and service.

What are you looking out for on a CV or in an interview if someone was applying to work with you?

It might sound a bit old fashioned but I really pay attention to how the CV is presented, I mean if it looks neat and tidy, almost immaculate. This should already tell you if the candidate will be immaculately groomed. Obviously, the content is very important too. First of all, I look at the length of service at each place and also the description of the previous role and daily duties. These two indicators will give me an idea in term of commitment and reliability. My perfect candidate would be: Smiling, passionate, charming, polite and answer all my questions in a very positive way.

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