Rajjat Shrestha is a hotelier, a title he holds above any position he has occupied throughout his career. From his early days as an intern serving guests on the floor to leading teams as a Food and Beverage Manager, he has never confined himself to a single designation. His mindset has always been broader than a job title, driven by curiosity and a commitment to growth.
His professional journey began in Singapore, where he graduated in Hotel Management. That education opened the first door, but it was his eagerness to embrace every challenge that shaped his path. Over the years, he has worked across diverse properties, both abroad and in Nepal, each experience adding depth to his perspective.
Rooted in Food and Beverage, he honed his skills in pace, precision, and pressure—hallmarks of the industry. He later expanded into event planning, banquet operations, and revenue management, eventually serving as Senior Sales Manager in Sales and Marketing. For him, taking on multiple roles was not a diversion but a deliberate strategy to understand the hotel ecosystem from every angle.
His goal has never been simply climbing the corporate ladder. Instead, he is building a personal brand anchored in adaptability, creativity, and an uncompromising work ethic. For him, hospitality is more than an industry—it is where he has learned to lead, connect, and create experiences that leave lasting impressions. He is in the hospitality industry for the long game, committed to shaping meaningful experiences that transcend titles.
How would you like to introduce yourself? What key experiences or milestones shaped your path to becoming an F&B Manager?
I’d introduce myself as a hotelier first—someone who didn’t just grow through the ranks but grew through experience. Titles came and went: intern, server, supervisor, assistant manager—but my mindset never changed. To me, being a hotelier means building moments, systems, and teams that work even when you’re not looking.
My journey began with a degree in Hotel Management in Singapore, where I was first exposed to global standards of service, discipline, and detail. But degrees alone don’t shape you. What shaped me were the floor shifts, the double-booked events, the late-night turnovers, the team huddles before a full house. Real hospitality happens in motion, not in classrooms.
Working abroad early in my career taught me adaptability. Different cultures and guests demand flexibility—you learn fast or fall behind. Returning to Nepal, I carried that mindset with me. I didn’t just want to apply what I had seen—I wanted to raise the bar with what I had learned.
A turning point came when I became Event Planning Manager. Suddenly, I wasn’t just managing service—I was managing outcomes: banquet operations, revenue strategy, vendor coordination, guest satisfaction. Later, stepping into Sales & Marketing as Senior Sales Manager gave me a new perspective on how brand perception and client relationships connect with daily operations. That experience reshaped how I now lead an F&B team.
Today, as a Food & Beverage Manager, I lead with that full-circle understanding. At my core, I’m still that intern who believed great service is never accidental—it’s built with intent, effort, and pride.
How do you motivate and train your team to maintain high service standards?
I’m not just a Food and Beverage Manager or a leader in operations and sales—I’m someone who has lived hospitality from the ground up. I started as an intern, worked across departments and countries, and every step taught me something no textbook could. Today, I lead with those experiences and manage not just systems, but people—their energy, standards, and belief in the work they do.
Motivating and training an F&B team isn’t about giving orders or repeating SOPs. It’s about creating a culture where standards matter because people care. The first step is setting that tone: we don’t just serve tables, we create guest memories. When people understand the “why,” the “how” follows naturally.
Training isn’t a one-time task; it’s a daily rhythm. It happens in pre-shift briefings, in role-playing guest scenarios, and when I step in during a busy service to support the team, not just direct them. Consistency isn’t about being perfect—it’s about being present.
Motivation comes from trust. I listen to my team, involve them in decisions, and give them ownership—whether it’s setting up a buffet, handling a difficult guest, or crafting a beverage list. When people feel trusted and valued, they bring more of themselves to the job.
High service standards aren’t achieved through pressure; they’re built on pride. My role is to create an environment where people take pride in their work. That’s how excellence is sustained, even under pressure.
At the end of the day, I’m not just managing tasks—I’m building a team that believes in the work and stands tall behind the service they deliver.
How do you keep F&B offerings fresh and aligned with market trends or seasonal demands?
From the floor to the boardroom, I’ve seen what it takes to deliver not just good service, but memorable, high-value hospitality.
As a Food and Beverage Manager, my role is about more than managing menus or schedules—it’s about anticipating what’s next and staying ahead of it.
Keeping F&B offerings fresh isn’t about chasing every trend. It’s about reading the guest, understanding the market, and knowing when to evolve. I track the data—what’s selling, what’s not, what feedback we’re getting. I walk the floor, talk to guests, study competitors, and stay connected to both global and local food movements. Whether it’s plant-forward cuisine, hyper-local sourcing, wellness-driven menus, or sustainable bar programs, I watch the shifts and adapt them to fit our property’s identity.
Seasonality plays a major role. You can’t stay relevant if you’re disconnected from the calendar or the climate. In Nepal, that means respecting harvests, festivals, and shifting guest expectations. A winter menu should feel different from what we offer in monsoon or peak tourist season—it’s about aligning the experience with timing.
Innovation doesn’t always need to be radical. Sometimes it’s a smarter pairing, a cleaner presentation, or a forgotten local ingredient brought back to life. The key is that every change must make sense to the guest, the brand, and the bottom line.
Ultimately, F&B isn’t static, and neither am I. I stay curious, collaborate with my chefs and bar team, and make sure what we serve reflects not only where the industry is going, but who we are as a property.
What are the main challenges you face in day-to-day F&B operations, and how do you address them?
From the dining floor to banquet halls, and now as a Food & Beverage Manager, I work with a clear principle: this is a people-driven business built on precision, emotion, and consistency.
F&B operations may look polished—the setup, the service, the smiles—but behind that are daily challenges that require quick decisions and a steady hand.
One major challenge is maintaining consistency—not just in food or drink, but in service delivery. With multiple shifts, rotating staff, and varying guest profiles, standards can slip. I stay hands-on: pre-shift briefings serve as checkpoints, training is embedded in daily operations, and I set the tone by being present. When the team sees leadership care about the details, they follow suit.
Labor management and morale is another challenge. Hospitality is demanding, and burnout is real. I build a team culture that respects effort and encourages ownership. Staff are involved in decisions, ideas are recognized, and small wins are celebrated. If people feel valued, they care for guests.
Inventory and cost control adds pressure too. Between fluctuating prices, wastage, and vendor reliability, margins can erode quickly. I track consumption, adjust par levels smartly, and ensure the team understands that control is a shared responsibility.
Guest expectations keep rising—dietary requests, personalization, speed. I train my team to anticipate rather than react, and we run service scenarios to sharpen that instinct.
Challenges change daily, and that’s what keeps me invested. Every shift is a chance to improve a process, a plate, or a person. That’s the leadership I believe in: practical, people-focused, and always evolving.
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