Friday, April 30, 2010

Marissa Canneto '08

Assistant Manager,
Trader Vic’s Island Bar and Grill
Sarasota, Florida

q: What do you do?

a: I help manage the flagship Island Bar and Grill for the corporation, which is celebrating its 76th anniversary and has locations in the world's most coveted destinations such as Dubai. I consider myself extremely fortunate to be a part of such a long-standing and prestigious restaurant group.
q: What's your favorite part of the job?
a: Definitely auditioning bands. We have live entertainment Friday and Saturday nights at the restaurant. Being able to touch into the local music scene is the more fun part of my job. I also love designing advertisements and flyers, and managing the PR side of things.
q: What's the greatest challenge?
a: Hiring new staff for our opening. I had upwards of 1,000 applicants for the opening team at the restaurant and just over two weeks to bring them on board and get them trained to corporate standards. Plus, the fact that many of them are older than I am can sometimes complicate things.
q: Do you stay in touch with any other UCF hospitality alums?
a: Just a few… Chad Ingram ’09, Nick Bustillo ’08 and Andrea Hanson ’08.
q: Outside work...you're most likely to be seen?
a: At the beach. Siesta Key is one of the highest rated in the nation and I love it being so accessible.
q: Your biggest accomplishment since graduating, outside your career?
a: I just signed a contract for a house, so being 23 and purchasing my first home definitely qualifies as the greatest accomplishment for me so far.
q: How did UCF prepare you for what you do?
a: By taking a full course load and working full-time, I learned to understand the real-world “work” hours I am faced with today.
q: Your favorite class?
a: I enjoyed many of them. I wish I had taken more beverage classes since there are three bars in my restaurant; learning everything about beverage inventory and wines has been interesting.
q: How could the hospitality program have been better?
a: I think it’s a great program; however, a foreign language requirement would benefit students in the long run.
q: A UCF memory?
a: Football games, having awesome roommates, and graduation itself!
q: Favorite meal in Orlando?
a: Taverna Opa… amazing food, friends and fun. I went there for one of my last group dinners before I moved out of Orlando.
q: On your iPod?
a: A little bit of everything…Kings of Leon, Rihanna, Jay Z and Mariah.
q: Little known fact about you?
a: I’m the first in my family born in the U.S., and also the first to go to college.

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