Armando Ayala
Catering Supervisor, Oracle - Redwood Shores
From making sure all the daily orders get to the right rooms on time, to being in charge of the summer barbecue setups, Catering Supervisor Armando Ayala’s role in the Bon Appétit at Oracle’s headquarters in Redwood Shores, CA, is an important one.
On average, the catering team receives 100 orders a week. Armando makes sure that each of these orders is completed both efficiently and accurately, and that servers are capable of catering to the clients’ needs. “As a team, we all work really hard to bring the best service possible,” he says. “We put a lot of effort into the meals we serve on a daily basis.”
Armando joined Bon Appétit in 1996 as a catering server and has stayed with the company for many reasons, though one stands out above the others. “The people I work with have a genuine desire to provide the best, eco-friendly service possible for clients,” he says. “I think it’s great to be a part, no matter how small, of such a sustainable company.”
His teammates are the main reason Armando enjoys coming to work every day. They motivate him to constantly look for ways in which he can improve as a catering supervisor to better benefit his team. One of the things that Bon Appétit has taught Armando that he brings home to his family is how to limit food waste: “Now, when I cook meals at home for my family, I am very aware of the food waste and try to ask myself if there is anything I can repurpose.”
Armando’s favorite thing to eat at work are Sous Chef Alex Tezak’s exceptional beef fajitas. He wishes everyone could try them: “I love the beef fajitas; however, all the meals here are wonderful and served with purpose. It’s great to be part of such an amazing team.”