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Amoy Cooper - from rookie waitress to star bartender
Imagine stepping into the Grand Palladium Jamaica and Lady Hamilton Resort and Spa as a rookie cocktail waitress and within months, you are promoted to the position of bartender. That's the story of Amoy Cooper, whose first and only place of employment is the Grand Palladium.
Cooper was hired on July 20, 2008 and has not looked back since. She admitted that she entered the hotel with a very strong urge to succeed, despite not having any training as a cocktail waitress. "I was a bit apprehensive at the start, but I am a quick learner and I watched keenly how other persons with experience carried out their tasks and just followed. This practice quickly placed me among the top performing cocktail waitresses in the department, and I soon started to try my hands at mixing drinks," she said.
'Trying her hands'
The practice of 'trying her hands' at mixing drinks soon brought success for Cooper, as she moved up from being a cocktail waitress to being a bartender where her favourite mix is 'TLC', a drink for which she keeps the secret ingredients very close to her chest. Cooper said after five years and having joined the company as a rookie, she has made significant strides in building her reputation as a top-notch bartender.
Five years is a very short time, however, but Cooper thinks that the Grand Palladium has done more than enough to now be recognised as one of the top resorts in the Caribbean in general, and Jamaica in particular. "The Grand Palladium has earned its place among the top brands in Jamaica and the Caribbean. We have achieved a lot as a company and as individuals to merit all the top rankings that we have received. I am very proud to be a part of this family of people who ensure that training, educational and other opportunities are available for team members."
Cooper is held in high regard by her team members and the thousands of guests that she has served over the years. She credits this rating to her ability to assist everyone in their pursuit of training in the case of new employees, and a wonderful time in the case of the guests. "I offer simple, but subtle, training and guidance to members of my team and ensure that through discussions with my guests they are served with the exact drink that is mixed to perfection. I love my job," she said.
The Grand Palladium has 13 bars, but Cooper prefers to work at the Miss Lou Bar which offers a very quiet and relaxing ambience to the guests. She believes that with God's help, she will continue to give of her best to the resort, the guests and her team members.
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