Forum: Focus on structured, daily training as core part of F&B work
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As a hospitality professional managing multiple restaurant brands in Singapore, I have observed that many service issues in the food and beverage (F&B) sector stem not from staff attitude, but from inconsistent training and a lack of clear daily routines.
Restaurants often train staff only during opening or when problems arise, instead of building simple, structured practices into every shift. This leads to uneven guest experiences, higher staff turnover and burnout among supervisors who end up firefighting rather than coaching.
In a tight manpower market, Singapore’s F&B sector cannot afford to rely on ad hoc training.
One practical way forward is to normalise short, focused “daily drills” for teams – for example, for 10 to 15 minutes before each service to rehearse greetings, menu knowledge and handling of common guest scenarios.
When leaders at all levels model this discipline, training becomes part of operations and not a one-off event. Over time, this raises service consistency and gives younger staff a clearer growth path.
I hope more operators, landlords and industry bodies can prioritise structured, daily training as a core part of F&B work in Singapore, rather than view it as an extra cost. This will strengthen both guest satisfaction and the attractiveness of F&B as a long-term career.
Madan Kishor
