TO say Joan Cooke, the newly minted food and beverage manager at Sandals Dunn’s River, is passionate about her profession is an understatement. The fact is, she lives and breathes the vocation.

“I am super passionate about food and beverage,” Cooke says emphatically, a twinkle in her eyes at the mere mention of the subject. “It’s a career I went to school for and it’s something I love. I believe food can do everything for you. Food brings out so many emotions, and it’s for that reason I delved headlong into food and beverage.”

It is this passion for the culinary arts that Cooke believes has been one of the key ingredients in her upward mobility at Sandals. “In this industry you have to love what you are doing so [that] when the challenges come, they don’t seem insurmountable.”

The energetic and vivacious Cooke, who boasts a very warm, yet business-like demeanour, is a part of the cadre of educated and bright young leaders graduating from the resort chain’s Management Training Programme (MTP) and who are on an upward trajectory within Sandals. She holds a Masters of Business Administration in Food Service Management from Southern New Hampshire University, and a bachelor of science from the University of Technology, Jamaica. She also proclaims she is a proud graduate of Ardenne High School.

The Sandals MTP is a robust two-year training programme that prepares both new hires and existing team members for leadership roles in the company. Management trainees are exposed to strategic, hands-on training through rotations in various departments at the company’s resorts across the Caribbean. At the end of the training period, having specialised in their area of choice, successful candidates are ready to be deployed in management roles.

The St Catherine native, who grew up in Portmore, along with her Food and Beverage Director Jan-Kai Cronsfoth, will be responsible for overseeing the high-class operations of 12 restaurants and nine bars at the luxury-included resort set to officially open its doors later this month.

Cooke says being a part of the Management Training Programme has been integral in preparing her for her new role.

“Listen, being part of the MTP took me to departments outside of food and beverage. I got the opportunity to work in the warehouse, purchasing, Club Sandals, and butler departments. It took me throughout the entire gamut of resort management and I have a much more rounded skill set because of it,” she said, relating a few on the job experiences and stopping to commend a team member who performed a task satisfactorily.

Cooke’s career with the company commenced in 2014. “I remember doing the interview with the human resources manager, and when she asked me what position I was interested in I pointed to the food and beverage director sitting next to me and said, ‘I want his job.’ ” She however settled on the position of restaurant manager at Sandals Royal Caribbean, a stint that lasted for five years when she spent time in the bar and kitchen and was also involved in every aspect of her chosen career.

Having completed her sojourn at Sandals Royal Caribbean Cooke decided it was time she started climbing the corporate ladder as she had set herself a timeline of five years as a restaurant manager. As fate would have it, she applied to be a part of the Sandals MTP and was accepted. From there on the ultra-ambitious young woman has not looked back.

Cooke’s next stop was as junior assistant food and beverage manager at the resort company’s flagship property, Sandals Montego Bay. With the impending opening of Sandals Dunn’s River, Cooke saw the opportunity for a new challenge and with the encouragement of her leaders, she applied. “The support and love that you get at Sandals is amazing! Everyone challenges you. My bosses told me to give it my best shot and, as they say, ‘The rest is history.’ In this company everyone shares their knowledge with you and pushes you to be the best version of yourself.”

With regards to her leadership skills Cooke says, “I allow my team to shine for me. I give them my support and I tell them not to be afraid to make a decision, but to learn and grow from those decisions.”

Cooke and her food and beverage leadership team have been preparing the new team members for the highly anticipated opening of Sandals Dunn’s River through a comprehensive training programme that includes pairing them with more experienced workers.

Opening a brand spanking new hotel may be a daunting task for some leaders, but not for Joan Cooke. “I like being challenged. Challenges bring out the best in me and working with a talented team to ensure that Sandals Dunn’s River maintains the highest food and beverage standards is my biggest challenge to date, and I am excited and rearing to go.”

Her Sandals journey, according to Cooke, started before she actually joined the company, as a friend with whom she attended university and who is a Sandals employee had, for over two years, been extolling the virtues of the company and the hospitality industry to her. What sold her on Sandals, however, were the stories of the opportunities for growth within the company and the chance to be a part of a family. “I am all about growth and development and being a member of a real close-knit team.”

The food and beverage manager replies with a resounding “yes” when asked if she had found her family at Sandals. “I am indeed relishing my journey with the company,” she beams, raising her hands to the heavens.