Meet Mikel, Harri’s 200K Member

Late last year, we introduced to you Ronnie, Harri’s 150K member. That was an amazing milestone in itself, but as our platform has evolved, we have grown to a community of now over 200K+. So meet Mikel, our lucky 200K member.

Mikel, an executive chef with more than 20 years of experience, found Harri by chance. He had taken a short break from his career to travel, but he is now ready to get back to doing what he loves, and is looking for new opportunities.

HOW DID YOU GET INTO COOKING?

At first, I just went with it because Spain, where I come from, is famous and known for its Michelin-star restaurants. Besides that, I grew up in the countryside with my grandma, spending time there during the weekends and summers. I was basically living in the kitchen; it was the heart of the house. She had a traditional, wood-fired stove and it was my favorite part of the house. My mother learned from her as well.

HOW DID YOU GET YOUR START IN THE HOSPITALITY BUSINESS?

I started my career working front-of-the-house when I was 16, and I moved up until I was a GM by age 26. I went on to attend culinary school at Escuela de Hostelería de Barcelona, while working as GM. After completing my degree, I started working in the kitchen and never left.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT WORKING IN THE INDUSTRY?

Making people happy. From the way I cook and also not just cooking for myself, but for others. It is my main secret to being successful and loving what I do. The most important thing for me is to make people feel happy from what they eat.

HOW DID YOU FIND HARRI AND WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO JOIN? 

I found Harri randomly while looking online for work. I was directed to Harri. Harri offers executive and management positions from awesome restaurants, unlike Craigslist and LinkedIn. When you look for a job on Harri, you do not feel like you are thrown onto a rollercoaster, where you do not know where you are or where you will end up. Also, on Harri, employers are always quick to respond to job seekers.

HOW DID YOU FEEL ABOUT BEING OUR 200K MEMBER?

I could not even believe it at first, since I was in Barcelona when Team Harri reach out to me. I thought it was a joke, but then I realized it was really true. I was impressed and wanted to be a part of your feature.

HOW HAS HARRI BEEN USEFUL FOR YOU?

Since I am a new member and just started using Harri, I have found a few possible opportunities that are opening in the summer.

HOW HAVE EMPLOYERS REACTED TO YOUR HARRI PROFILE?

Employers have responded pretty quickly to my profile. It is very different from the way other job sites hire, which tend to be be pretty complicated, like Taleo, for example. When you apply for positions on Taleo, you probably will get a reply three or four weeks later. In contrast, Harri is able to match job seekers’ profiles to jobs that they qualify for and employers react quickly.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF OTHER JOB SITES, COMPARED TO HARRI?

Basically, I only use LinkedIn and ZipRecruiter. I think ZipRecruiter is not as useful because I do not like the way they designed the website; it is a bit more complicated and super impersonal. As for LinkedIn, the basic, free account is not as helpful. I actually got a premium account for the purpose of finding a new job, so that I could access other features, like inMail. But with Harri, these features are free. Harri is also tailored for hospitality professions, where as LinkedIn is more general.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE MOBILE APP?

Because I have been traveling so much, I prefer the mobile app more than the actual website. It is easier and it sends me updates pretty often. 

WHAT TYPE OF ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO ASPIRING HOSPITALITY PROFESSIONALS?

Work hard and be patient, and be honest! There are so many chefs that think that after they finish school in two years, they are a chef. It took me three years after culinary school, working in the kitchen with experienced chefs, to actually learn how to cook properly and respect food. You have a base that you learn from school, but the experience is totally different from a restaurant. They have to understand that they will not be chef right away, you have to work at your craft.

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Harri Featured Member: Rachel Perez

RACHEL PEREZ Barista

"Well I chose a career in hospitality because I've always been great at serving people. And I kind of just fell into it, and then once I fell into it, I never wanted to leave."

Rachel began her career working at Robert De Niro's Greenwich Village restaurant, Locanda Verde. From there, she has moved on to gain experience at Intelligentsia Coffee and Lafayette Grand Cafe & Bakery. As a barista, Rachel is highly familiar with different types of coffee. She would like to use her knowledge and apply it to help the coffee community. One day, she wishes to own coffee farms all around the world, from Central America, South America to Africa. With that, she hopes to produce high quality coffee beans and maintain an exceptional brand and business.

In addition to her passion for coffee, Rachel boasts excellent customer service. She is able to maintain her composure while facing all kinds of people, from people waiting on their early morning coffee to people who speak different languages.

Rachel's other loves include skateboarding and music. She says she is practically on her board all day, because it is her preferred mode of transport. Also, Rachel enjoys attending concerts/music festivals and practicing in garages with her friends. Learn more about Rachel's career by viewing her Harri profile here.

Harri Featured Member: Richard Cardona

RICHARD CARDONA JR. General Manager

"I chose a career in hospitality because I created experiences as a server and people were wowed."

Richard began studying and learning the art of the restaurant business since a young boy under the tutelage of his father, Richard Cardona, one of the best known Latin celebrity chefs in the nation. He worked his way up the ladder and became a general manager of a restaurant at the mere age of 21.

Besides being a general manager at Cantina Rooftop, located atop Stage 48, Richard has experience organizing events for world-famous celebrities, like Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony, the New York Yankees and more. He also leads as the vice president of his own company, Cardona Catering and Restaurant Consulting Group. One of the most successful projects he worked on was a 200 person fundraising event for St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, raising over $100K.

To do well in the restaurant world, Richard advises people to market themselves, so that can be differentiated as much as possible. They have to prove to others what makes them special, among the million others working in the industry.

Learn more about Richard's experiences in the hospitality industry on his Harri profile.

Harri Featured Member: Akina Nolan

AKINA NOLAN Hostess

"It is very important to market your personal brand, because you have to be memorable in hospitality."

Akina got her start in retail/sales, behind the cash register at mainstream retailers, Aeropostale and Hollister Co. Now she works part-time as a hostess, while attending classes at St. John's University and dancing classic ballet at Broadway Dance Center.

Ever since Akina was young, she would eat out with her family. She grew to have great appreciation for the service and hospitality industry, and had wanted to be a part of the restaurant business too. She advises those who want to work in the field to be patient and composed even in stressful situations. In addition, she believes that it is important for one to stand out by being marketable and personable.

With her knowledge of both the retail and hospitality sectors, Akina aspires to be a businesswoman. She dreams of traveling the world and working in International Marketing.

Learn more about Akina's career by viewing her Harri profile here.

Harri Featured Member: Mimi Lau

MIMI LAU Pastry Chef

"In the food and beverage industry, everyone knows each other, so I think it is very important to market yourself to other people."

As a graduate of entrepreneurial studies at Baruch College, Mimi hopes to open up her own business some day. Her love of food and beverage, and creating food for people led her to the hospitality field. Mimi cites her mother as being a big influence on her career choice as well.

Starting from front of house positions, such as server and barista, Mimi worked her up to being in the kitchen. She previously held roles as a line cook and sous chef at multiple establishments. Now she is a pastry chef at Iris Cafe, where she is responsible for creating a menu for the cafe, displaying baked goods in cases, teaching staff and more.

Mimi understands having a career in the hospitality business is not exactly a piece of cake, but nonetheless, she loves working in it. She would definitely recommend others to take on the challenge and realize the joys of serving and satisfying people.

Learn more about Mimi's career in hospitality by checking out her Harri profile here.