Rockpool Bar & Grill Sydney Assistant Restaurant Manager Erica Garbero didn’t set out to work in hospitality.
Erica, from Asti in Italy’s Piedmont region, which is renowned for grapes, wine, cheese and chocolate. The ambitious Italian holds a Master of Science in Study and Management of Natural and Anthropic Environments. She planned for a career in Environment Science.
After finishing her Masters’ degree, Erica pursued a childhood passion for horses by working on a horse breeding farm in Asti. She then moved to the rural town of Kenilworth in the Sunshine Coast, Queensland to work in the same industry.
An Introduction to Hospitality
A quest to further explore Australia, led Erica to Sydney where she entered the world of hospitality. She first worked at a restaurant of her native cuisine, the well-known Italian diner Fratelli Fresh.
After a year or so, at the end of 2015, she joined Rockpool Sydney. Her first role was a drinks runner before she became a section waiter, then she progressed to head waiter. The ambitious Italian was promoted to Assistant Restaurant Manager in 2022.
“I never thought hospitality would become my career, she says. “I definitely fell into it unexpectedly.”
University of Hospitality
While working at Rockpool Sydney, Erica studied for a Diploma and Advanced Diploma in Human Resources Management, from which she learned about the hospitality profession. While most of her hospitality skills have been learned on the job, Erica says the equestrian world taught her some great life lessons, many of which she was able to put into practice at Rockpool.
“You learn how to fall off and start again, you learn empathy, how to deal with fear, you understand what hard work is and what perseverance is, you improve health, fitness, and social skills, you learn to take responsibility and looking after someone (a horse in this case) but they are all skills that stand you in good stead in hospitality,” Erica says.
“For me, Rockpool is a university of hospitality. Everything I have learned in my hospitality career, I have learned here, through an amazing training program.”
A Focus on Teamwork
Erica says what she enjoys most about working in hospitality is the opportunity to create memories for customers. She also enjoys teamwork.
“As an Assistant Restaurant Manager one of my favourites aspects is the ability to coach and teach others, make others around you stronger and maximise their potential. I also like that the fact that you learn how to switch from an individual contributor mindset to a multiple mindset. You become able to make the entire team more productive, efficient and focus on the same goal.”
“Your team becomes your family, and everyone shares the same goal and helps each other out.”
“I am so thankful to all the people I have met at Rockpool and so proud of what I have become and what I have achieved.”
If you’re interested in a career at Rockpool Bar & Grill, view our available opportunities here.
