Navi opts for tourism career
Source: Fiji Times (Original Article)
NAVITALAI Gagalia sent his figure juggling skills to the backburner as soon his senses calculated he was a natural in the kitchen.
Decades later, he now considers himself a Jack of all Trades in tourism. He views all hardships and difficulties faced on the job as “just another challenge”.
Growing up, Navi, as he is known to friends, always wanted to be a banker. He loved accounting and mathematics throughout his school days.
But his career path took a change in direction while waiting for a response from the first interview for his dream job. To kill time, Navi decided to take up a few classes with the catering school in Suva. There was no turning back once he fell in love with the concept of pleasing the senses with food. By the time the bank called with a job offer, he had made up his mind and turned down the position.
Navi calls it his fairy journey into the tourism industry where he has made a significant contribution during the 20 years of his working life.
While studying at catering school, Navi carried out his practical studies at The Fijian (before it carried the Shangri La name) and Musket Cove resorts.
Straight after completing his education at catering school, Navi secured a position as butcher hand at the Hyatt Regency Fiji (now known as the Warwick Resort).
The lad from Wailoku in Suva worked hard making his way up the ladder into the larder section then into the kitchen main line where he started preparing meals for guests of the five-star property. He was not about to settle with what he was doing as he continued his progress by moving into the pastry section.
Willing to try everything out in the diverse tourism industry, Navi even took a dab at waiting tables in the Food and Beverage Department.
In 1990, he accepted the challenge of manning the hotel switchboard. It was during this period that his “big break” ultimately came through his voice.
“One evening SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS dvd while I was on duty, the …continue reading