The passionate pursuit of a concierge

For concierge attendant Matthew Du, no two days are the same. From sourcing $15,000 bottles of wine for a guest, to rushing a groom's lapel pin down the altar after he forgot it in a hotel room, the 32-year-old's colourful career is what keeps him on his toes. We caught up with the Bachelor of Business in International Hotel Management alumnus and discovered how his career took off post-graduation.

How did you initially hear about Le Cordon Bleu and what made you want to study with us?

Having stumbled into the industry, I instantly fell in love with hospitality and knew this is where I belong. Le Cordon Bleu is renown as leaders in the hospitality industry. With such rich history, it was the number one recommendation from a family member when I expressed interest in joining the hospitality industry.

Have you always been interested in Hotel Management?

In all honesty I had always wanted to be an accountant. However, not long after working in a restaurant, I knew this was what I wanted to do. I had the dream to travel the world working in hotels and thus decided to study Hotel Management. I didn’t get very far, finding home in Melbourne, but 10 years later I have built an amazing career, amassed lifelong friends and connections in one the best cities in the world.

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Hospitality is a rewarding industry like no other. If I could do it all again, I would have done it sooner.

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Where are you currently working?

I am working as a concierge attendant at Crown Towers Melbourne, which is currently one of only three hotels in Australia with the prestigious Forbes five-star rating. I am also a member of Les Clefs d’Or Australia. It is an organisation of concierges throughout the world, with approximately 3500 members that network together to ensure all our guests truly have the best service and resources available to them.

What does your job involve?

As a concierge attendant, there is no limit to what my job involves. On a day-to-day basis, I would be securing restaurant reservations or organising transportation to and from the hotel. There are other days I am sourcing $15,000 bottles of wine or Birkin bags from Hermès as gifts. No day is the same and every day is a new opportunity to exceed someone’s expectation.

What do you love most about the industry you’re currently working in?

What I love most is the relationships we build with guests staying at our hotels. Although some guests are with us for very short periods, the impact we can make during their stay can last a lifetime. There is no better feeling knowing you have created a memorable experience for guests. I have assisted guests celebrating numerous special occasions that they had missed due to covid, from anniversaries to birthdays. I have sourced a wedding cake one day prior to a wedding and driven out to a wedding when one of the groomsmen’s left their lapel pin at the hotel. 

Above: Matthew Du is working at Crown Towers Melbourne, which is currently one of only three hotels in Australia with the prestigious Forbes five-star rating.

How did Le Cordon Bleu prepare you for the industry?

Le Cordon Bleu was able to best prepare me for the industry by providing first-class education. The lecturers’ hands-on experience meant their knowledge was up-to-date and relevant to the roles we wanted. In addition, Le Cordon Bleu has an expansive range of industry partners, meaning we had the opportunity to execute what we had learnt during our studies and apply them as students in real life scenarios. The placements allowed students to gain a better grasp of the industry and thus better prepared us for when we graduated.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

I would not want to be in any other profession. In 10 years, I hope to be leading my own team as a chief concierge and continue being an active member of the Les Clefs d’Or community. I have been fortunate enough to have great mentors throughout my professional career, so being able to pass my knowledge to the next generation would be a dream.

What’s one piece of advice you would give to students thinking of studying with us?

Take the step. Hospitality is a rewarding industry like no other. If I could do it all again, I would have done it sooner.

Discover how you can achieve success with a Bachelor of Business in International Hotel Management