Hostess and Stewards Course

A TRUE STORY

I am Lucas, sailor by vocation, I love the sea and have spent a lifetime aboard many types of vessel, first as a skipper then as an owner. I want to tell you a true story from a few years ago.

On a warm evening moored in the motionless bay of Porto-Ferrario, I lay on the nets of my first catamaran, I listened and spoke to a young girl laying next to me, a guest who had come to spend a weekend on my first catamaran. She told me she loved the sea and would like to live on a boat but she was working in a warehouse for the Coop.

She has dreams, she wants to escape, get away from what feels like a lifetime prison to her – many people say this to me – although I see a spark in her, could it be the determination in her voice or her radiance; there was something about her that made me believe she could make it and this is what I said to her: “I think you could really do it, and if you would like I can help you to get away from it all by presenting you to someone who could help introduce you to this wonderful world”.

The weekend drew to a close and everyone went home, but in her there was a real spark and without thinking about it twice she resigned from her job

and without even asking for my help she wrote to many charter companies in the Caribbean to see if there was a chance for her to get a position aboard, which is what happened.

Many years have passed since, almost twenty, and shes never given up that job, in fact today she is one of the best hostess’/cooks on the Mediterranean, extremely sought after and requested, so much so that she can chose who she works with and how much she gets paid.

This is a true story that tells us anything is possible, that the direction of our lives can changed just like hers, like mine and like all those who try.

As I stated twenty years ago and repeat today; if you would like I can help you, in practical terms through this 6 day course, at the end of which you show that you have mastered the subjects you have been taught, I will guarantee a position for you on our catamarans and those of our partners around the world.

Now it’s up to you …

Lucas

There has been a huge growth in demand for charters in the last 10 years, radically changing the look of the business and increasing the need for Stewards and Hostess’, most of who are unprepared and untrained, (I speak from personal experience), others come from apparently similar industries (Hotels and Restaurants) which are in fact very different as the layout and spaces on a catamaran are quite unique which changes the situation radically.

The direct result is that every year charter companies suffer loses in terms of lost imagine and reputation, loss of customers, penalties paid out to dissatisfied customers and damage to their vessels, due to the lack of training and professionalism of their staff.

This is why the need for a professionally prepared and executed Hostess and Stewards school is born.

Organized  based on the requirements of the MadMax Nautical Franchising team with their 10 years of experience in the charter industry, MadMax is the only charter company to have an internal professional school geared to producing highly trained staff offering their guests the highest quality experience aboard its catamarans.

MadMax Nautical Franchising takes its students through a rigorous 6 day full immersion course on board one of our catamarans, replicating a typical week long holiday, teaching the students how to welcome guests aboard, tidy and maintain the vessel in order, how to manage the galley and prepare breakfast, lunch, antipasti and dinner.

Ample time is also spent teaching students how to behave with and around guests who will be sharing the space 24 hours a day with the crew while aboard.

This school was NOT formed with the intention of teaching someone something without a clear goal, on the contrary it is a sort of employment office that guarantees the charter companies with which MadMax Nautical Franchising collaborates as well as to itself, that the graduates, have been taught all the relevant things needed to operate and deliver the highest quality of service befitting the luxurious vessels on which they will be employed.

The MadMax Nautical Franchising school for Hostess’ & Stewards is a point of reference for those who desire to have their abilities and quality recognized while at the same time a pool from which charter companies can source crews that have received a unified standard of professional and behavioral training designed to guarantee a season without problems.

What are the subjects?

There are numerous subjects that will be covered, all rigorously practical, no quick unrealistic  theories; In collaboration with the Alhambra restaurant, expert chefs will teach our students some of the tricks of trade on how to:

• Select, purchase and stow food in the galley
• How to set the table
• How to prepare and serve breakfast lunch and dinner
• Develop 10 practical starter recipes and 10 mains recipes
• How to cook fish and meat on a gas BBQ

The course continues with  teaching students:

• How to welcome and host the guest on board
• How to tidy communal areas and clean bathrooms
• The vessels nautical terminology
• How to throw a line onto land and secure the vessel

Included in the price, every student will be supplied with, an apron complete with MadMax Hostess & Steward School logo.

A complete set of kitchen utensils will be gifted for all successful graduates to take on board with them on their first position.

We strongly believe that passion and dedication are two basic requirements to help ensure we excel in anything we do in life, so we ask our students to bring with them these two qualities without which you are almost certainly going to fail.

Where and how will the course be rolled out?

The course will be held on a 15 meter long catamaran and the Alhambra restaurant.

The cost of the course will include a mooring place for the boat in Livorno, electricity and water, all the required materials, fuel for navigation, students equipment, including all the food for the cooking lessons. Furthermore, the student can stay on board the catamaran for the entire duration of the course, for free.

The only thing not included are student meals.

Cost of inscription

Total of 1120.00 euro divided as follows:

500.00 when you sign up
620.00 euro when the course begins

WE HOPE WE HAVE NOT CONVINCED YOU!

We hope we have not convinced you or tempted you to launch yourself into this business, instead we hope to have described it with clarity and transparency so that, if you want to, you can decide to move towards this marvelous adventure and turn your passion into a successful career.

I hope you always want to dream
and that you always find the strength to follow your dreams.