Hospitality in Season—Summer Career Program Serves up Industry Insights

August 11, 2023

If you’re going to explore careers in hospitality, you’d be hard pressed to find a finer place to start than the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago.

As part of Mercy Home’s Summer Career Institute program, the luxury hotel in the heart of Chicago’s Magnificent Mile hosted our young people for an unforgettable visit to learn more about the industry.

The day began with breakfast and a presentation from Four Seasons’ coworkers. Director of People and Culture Mitch Langeler and Assistant Director of People and Culture Emily Khan discussed the hiring process, offering key insights into the qualities they look for in an employee, and took our young people through the application, hiring, interview, and training process.

Afterward, Langeler and Khan demonstrated what a good and bad interview would look like. The session left our kids with valuable interview tips and information about how to have a successful job interview.

Later, Four Seasons Executive Chef Michael Rollinson and Adorn Restaurant Executive Chef Richie Farina spoke about their journeys as chefs, their daily routines, and what they most enjoyed about working in the hospitality industry.

By midday, our young people headed to the 7th floor to Adorn where they were treated to gourmet renditions of soup, burgers, sandwiches, fries, and dessert. After lunch, participants toured the facilities guided by Senior People & Culture Manager Jocelyn Escobar and the Catering & Conference Services Coordinator Bryna Halligan. The highlight of the tour was arguably the pool, where a scene from the movie “Home Alone” was filmed. Our kids also viewed a deluxe suite with a balcony overlooking the John Hancock Center and Lake Michigan.

The tour concluded in the kitchen with a fun make-your-own ice-cream activity. Executive Pastry Chef Bharat Dharmwani spoke to our kids about his experiences and the Pastry Chef de Partie, Zasha Gazder, taught our kids how to make delicious homemade ice cream. 

Thank you to the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago for your fantastic hospitality to our kids and giving them valuable career insights.