More than 15 years after he began working in the kitchen at the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club, Jaja Millet has risen up the ranks due to hard work and his love of the hospitality industry.

Mr Millet, the function manager at the club (RBYC), is the latest “hero of hospitality” to be commended by community group Imagine Bermuda as part of hospitality month.

Mr Millet said he first became interested in the hospitality industry through his mother. “My mother liked to entertain a lot, cooking and what not, so cooking came naturally,” he said. “Once I was in high school at Northlands Secondary, that’s when I decided I wanted to be a chef.”

After graduating, he studied for two years at Bermuda College, learning the fundamentals of the hospitality industry, while at the same time taking a summer internship at the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club.

He later took a full-time position at the Hamilton Marketplace and continued to work at RBYC in the evenings until he decided he wanted to continue his education to create further opportunities.

Mr Millet enrolled at the Baltimore International College, studying cooking and hospitality, but would come back to RBYC to work during the summers.

“I was doing bartending, waiting, maintenance and work in the kitchen,” he said. “Through that, I realised that management is what really suited me. When I came back Vernon Pemberton, who had been the head chef, had become the general manager.

“When I graduated he offered me a managerial position — the assistant to the general manager/ function manager. I’ve been doing that job for ten years now.”

He said he enjoys the more intimate nature of work at the RBYC as opposed to larger hotels because the job is more varied, and it gives him the opportunity to have more personal interactions with both the customers and the staff.

“I enjoy working with people, being able to achieve a certain goal and helping people create what they see in their head and making sure events go well,” he said.

“I get a lot of fulfillment out of that. In a lot of cases it doesn’t feel like a job, it feels like just the right thing to do. I think that’s the reason why I have lasted and why I have good experiences with most of the people that come through.

“Through this job I have met people from all over the world. Through the Newport-Bermuda Race and the other race weeks I have met an array of people from all over, and I think it’s a great thing.

“It’s almost as good as travelling, enlightening and enriching yourself by learning how other people think about everything.”

He said he is looking forward to the America’s Cup, adding that the RBYC is already preparing itself for the increasing number of visitors.

“We’re gearing up to put our best foot forward,” he said. “I know it will bring a number of new visitors to Bermuda, which creates opportunity for all of us.

“I’m also looking forward to going out and spectating. Sailing has always been close to my heart. When I first came to work at RBYC, even as a chef in 1998, I was thinking that I was still around the water, still around sailing.”

Asked what advice he would give to young people considering a career in hospitality, he recommended that people dip their toes in the industry as soon as possible to get an inside look.

“When I finished high school I worked as a part-time pot washer at Portofino and it really gave me perspective about how the kitchen ran, and my experience there was great,” he said. “It really encouraged me to go to college and pursue hospitality.”

Mr Millet also strongly recommended higher education, saying a college degree puts people on a different playing field.

He added: “I’m a firm believer that you get out what you put in. If you work hard, I believe you will find success.”

• Mr Millet is one of several heroes of hospitality invited to a special reception at the Hamilton Princess to be held between 2pm and 4pm today to mark Hospitality Month.