Alumnus Richard Barthes, Operations Manager for Cotto (SA) is very excited to manage the rebranding for Cotto in South Australia. After bringing the ‘wow’ factor to Cotto, he intends to see it grow to be one of the best cafés in the state.

As an Operations Manager Richard manages 30-40 staff, working closely with each store manager across three cafés and a wholesale kitchen supplying to local businesses. New refurbishments, with a refined offering and rebranding of the logo and interior spaces will create a few points of difference for Cotto in South Australia.

Graduating from Le Cordon Bleu Adelaide in 2015 with a Bachelor of Business (International Hotel Management), he feels strongly that his degree prepared him well for his current position.

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“My studies at Le Cordon Bleu have so much value and relevance in this role, I apply what I learned every day. The degree was a good investment.”

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Having first studied Marine Biology, Richard quickly decided it wasn’t his passion. In Canada, he worked in a café for a couple of years where he discovered that creativity, contact with people, and working with a team were all possible in a hospitality career.

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“Le Cordon Bleu was very valuable for me, and set me up to achieve really well in my current job.

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Richard’s industry placement (Work Integrated Learning) was at Ayers Rock Resort where he spent six months as a Room Attendant, followed by restaurant service. “It’s really challenging, but very worthwhile. You work hard and save a lot of money in those remote areas because there’s not much else to do!”

His vision for the next 3 years is to see Cotto grow to be one of the best cafés in the state. With enthusiasm in abundance, this talented alumnus will undoubtedly continue to shine.