Vanessa Mapp, General Manager of Villa Frantzén

Vanessa Mapp, General Manager of Villa Frantzén

In this interview, Vanessa Mapp, General Manager of Villa Frantzén, shares some insight into the food and beverage industry.

What do you do?

I oversee the daily operations of the restaurant and bar and organize future events. I also create a healthy work environment between all departments, recruit new staff and prepare training for all team members to improve their performance and personal knowledge during operations. Tasting new dishes, choosing the wines added to our cellar and the wine pairing are obviously the best parts of my tasks, as you get to taste everything regularly with the Chef and Sommelier to offer the best experience to our guests.

How did you get into the industry?

My parents worked in a hotel when I was growing up, so I was introduced to hospitality from a very young age. My passion for hospitality started in this hotel, in a city of around 1000 people, where I would meet people travelling worldwide. I became interested in getting to know them and their stories. I developed a passion for travel and seeing the world. What I found unique is when you come from a very secluded town, where most of the inhabitants who have never travelled can create memories for travellers from around the globe, letting them discover your culture and specialties. This is where my passion began since it made me curious to know how to be able to deliver these kinds of memories.

What food memory from your childhood or travels stands out?

For me, it’s Turkey. I remember waking up to a street smelling with dates, olives, breads, and kebabs. There was no specific go-to dish for me. It didn’t matter; you would just go out, and no matter where you were in the country or within a city, all the different specialties of each region were showcased on every street corner, offering freshness and the best quality products. This is what makes it such an exciting country to travel across and discover throughout.

What’s the best/ worst part of your job?

The best, obviously, is meeting people and guests from all over the world and getting them to discover Nordic cuisine. There is never a day that is the same due to all the different people you meet and how they influence you in creating a unique experience for each of them. Also, being able to work with unique products, from exclusive fishes, seafood, meats, wines, and spirits offered by small and passionate producers, makes it very exciting to regularly change our dishes and the beverage list to showcase these discoveries.

The worst would be to address issues at work with people in case they underperform or other problems occur. I do not like these situations of confrontation. I prefer to constantly offer training on how to improve every member of our team’s skills to avoid these talks since I always strive to be kind.

Vanessa Mapp’s favourite food and beverage pairing?

My all-time favourite pairing is deer marinated in herbs and grilled, served with a glass of Italian Sangiovese. I have fond memories of this association since we would only enjoy this fresh and gamey meat after the hunting season, which I would spend with my dad when I was younger. It reminds me of the first family gathering dinner during the first snowfall of the year.

The perfect day off would be…

It can be one of two things. An entire day at the SPA, getting pampered and being surrounded by the relaxing music. On the other hand, it can also be a day of escaping the city. A day of trekking and exploring Thailand, which I have not yet seen before.

What does Vanessa Mapp do for fun?

I love to plan game nights with friends or attend wine tastings to discover new wine producers who visit Thailand and explain their passion for the wines they produce.

What’s something you’d like guests to know about Villa Frantzén?

Not only is our food Nordic, but we also have a very creative Bar Manager who showcases Nordic cocktails, working with unique Swedish products that you cannot find elsewhere in Bangkok. A visit to the bar completes the Villa Frantzén experience on a whole different level.

How have you grown in your profession? What are your key learnings from your start in the industry until now? Any misconceptions?

I started at 14, so I started at the very bottom. I went through caretaking, hostessing and serving up to the position of general manager. Having had great mentors, I do want to believe that I have grown as a person, which allows me to be in the role I am today. Some people still think that working in hospitality is not a serious, long-term job. But I believe otherwise. It’s a demanding and rewarding job as any other. The best part about it is being able to adapt yourself to other people like staff and guests, ad hoc situations or locations and cultures you end up living in around the world.

What do you want people to know about being a restaurant manager as a profession?

In your everyday life at work, you are still learning. You will always have a situation that teaches you something, regardless of your position. Be it new restaurants nearby, new people you meet, new wines you come across, new trends that develop, or even crisis situations that occur. You never stop learning and improving yourself.

What’s your view on the food scene in Bangkok?

It’s very multicultural and constantly changing. There are so many new openings of restaurants and bars with innovative cuisines. Since the population of Bangkok is also multicultural, it is great because we are always receiving new products that were not available before. More possibilities are created daily, from Japanese fish to Arabic spices and niche wines.

What practices do you currently implement or hope to implement to work towards social responsibility and sustainability in the future?

I want to create healthy and happy employees who will be more eager to perform and satisfy every customer. So, it is essential to listen and understand the people who work for you and appreciate their work. Leading by example is crucial to earn your respect among them.

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