Martin De Castro
Areas of Expertise: Food & Beverage Concepts, Learning & Education, Operations Guide, Talent Development Framework Design
Martin De Castro has over 30 years’ experience in Food and Beverage, establishing restaurant operations and developing talent. His competencies include defining Job Functions and Job Descriptions, Team Co-responsibilities & Accountabilities, Task Flows and Ownership Principles. He has curated Operations Guides for service providers of varying job levels and has delivered both on-site and online learning programmes. He has a deep and committed dedication to his profession and to being an effective educator in the hospitality industry.
Martin’s hospitality career began at the Peninsula Hotel Manila where he became a specialist in Food and Beverage operations management.
He joined the Shangri-La Hotel Group as part of the opening team of the Edsa Shangri-La Hotel then transferred to the Makati Shangri-La Hotel and was involved in the renovation and reopening of its Food and Beverage outlets.
Martin delivered a number of corporate assignments for Shangri-La in Lang Fang/Beijing, Zhuhai, Shenzhen and Hong Kong while assuming senior roles in Food and Beverage Learning and Operations.
In respect of Talent Development, he helped establish a four-year hotel management programme at De La Salle University in Lipa, Philippines.
He designed the curriculum and syllabus at the Shangri-La Academy, an offsite learning facility of the Hotel Group (based in Lang Fang/Beijing/Zhuhai, Shenezen, China) for the Supervisory and Management Talents in the various Food and Beverage outlets (All Day Dining, In Room Dining, Lounge & Bar and Specialty Restaurants). The programme involved both classroom and onsite hotel learning.
Martin has been part of several pre-opening assignments in China, the Maldives, India, Sri Lanka, Mongolia and the Philippines. Whilst advising on various Food & Beverage disciplines including Restaurant Concept Creation, Interior Design & Ambience, Operating Equipment and Menu Design, he has developed comprehensive Operations Guides which include Concept Vision & Branding, Cuisine Philosophy, Beverage Programmes, Sequence of Service & Deliverables, Retail & Packaging, Food & Beverage Marketing, Music Programming/Entertainment & Curation, among others. He has initiated various simulation programmes as dry run exercises prior to hotel openings.
He has served in interim management roles for various hotels as Executive Assistant Manager and Director of Food and Beverage in Malaysia, Hong Kong and the Philippines.
Martin is a recipient of the Trainer of the Year Award (2004) of the Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts in Hong Kong as well as the Mabuhay Awards – Management Category (2004) of the Association of Human Resources Managers in the Philippines.
He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management at the Ateneo de Manila University, Manila and a Certificate in Hospitality Management at Cornell University, Ithaca, New York.