The Seven Sins of Nuno César de Sá |
Hotel Manager, Rudding Park Hotel |
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I was born in Mozambique from Portuguese descents. Most of my childhood was spent moving between Portugal and Macau, South East Asia. When I was young, I spent all my holidays travelling all over Asia, due to my father’s job and as a result I can speak five languages fluently and can communicate in Cantonese. My most fond memories are from the six months I spent travelling around Japan when I was 14.
From a young age I knew I wanted to be Hotelier so at the age of 17 year I moved to Switzerland to complete a three year Diploma in Hotel Manager at the Centre International the Glion, Montreaux. These three years were incredible and everything I learnt at Glion is very much the backbone of my personality.
The Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group was my next step, I spent seven years working in different properties around Asia and different departments and moving my way up from Management trainee to Manager. During these seven years in Macau I also managed to complete a BA Honors in Tourism Management. |
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| In 2001 and after one year backpacking around with world with my now wife, Rebecca, I met the owner and Managing Director of Rudding Park Hotel in Yorkshire and the project of creating the Best Hotel Resort in the UK begun. This has been my mission for the last 14 years and during this time there have been tremendous changes and numerous developments. There have been incredible challenges and rewards and this still makes me look forward to come to work each day. |
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| Wrath - What makes you angry about the hospitality industry?
Staff that do not care, lack passion or are unprofessional, and on the other side of the coin, guests that are aggressive toward staff.
Greed - If all your food fantasies came true what would be on your Plate?
Wow, where can I start, lots of sushi and sashimi, yakitori, laksa, pad thai, nasi goreng, scallops and pork belly, goat cheese with honey and walnuts, mini egg pastries from Versailles cake shop in Lisbon, apple tart tatin with vanilla ice cream, one of my famous latte machiatto with homemade scones with loads of butter and blackberry jam from my garden.
Sloth - What do you do to unwind?
I find it difficult to unwind but love spending time with my wife and my three young boys, running and road cycling in the Yorkshire dales and cooking.
Pride - What are you most proud of?
What we have achieved at Rudding Park since I started 14 years ago, it is a unique experience.
Lust - Is there anything that you are still lusting to achieve?
Short term I am lusting for the next large development at Rudding Park with our £7 million new spa development which is due to open in 2016. More longer term, one day I would love to manage one of the large classic hotels anywhere in the world.
Envy - who are you most envious of?
In a positive way, anyone or any venue that I feel that is doing a better job than me.
Gluttony - have you ever over indulged?
Of course, several times! The worst one was in Lisbon I bet one of my friends that I could eat more Portuguese Egg Tart (Pasteis de Belém) than him. I managed 23 but he won with 24! After so many years I still find it difficult to even smell these tarts! Nowadays due to amount of sports I do I tend to be more careful!
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| We put the spotlight on the industry's most recognisable faces in our new interview segment "Seven Sins". If you want to know what inspires the industry's movers and shakers or what your favourite food loving celebrity likes to indulge in then you'll find it in their Seven Sins. |
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