Lucile Fortuna has had a passion for the hospitality industry from a young age.
Some of her earliest memories stem from her uncle’s restaurant in the centre of Lyon, France, where she enjoyed crêpes and homemade ice cream, before eventually gaining employment there at age 15.
Throughout her career, Fortuna has worked in various parts of the hospitality industry. She has held positions in hotels, studied wine in Rhone Valley, and has been a passionate sommelier ever since.
Upon reflecting, Fortuna said that she found it difficult to take criticism when she was younger.
“If I was speaking to my younger self, I would tell her to accept constructive criticism because it will help you grow and achieve your goals,” said Fortuna.
Her career highlight to date has been the opening of Ahi restaurant, of which she is co-owner and co-founder. Ahi was the realisation of a lifelong dream for Fortuna, as well as friends Ben Bayly and Chris Martin. She said that she never thought she would have that opportunity, and is proud of what she has achieved.
“The two people in the hospitality industry that I admire most are my two business partners. Ben Bayly and Chris Martin, I’m constantly learning from them and we are always pushing each other every day to create an amazing environment for our guests and our team,” said Fortuna.
Her advice to others is to work hard and stay humble in order to get to where they want to be. She added that there are still so many opportunities in the industry for those wanting to grow their career.
Lucile Fortuna is consistently motivated to provide guests with a truly unique and memorable experience. She said that not only is she proud to live in New Zealand, she has continually worked hard to provide one of the best dining experiences in the country.
“Seeing happy guests leaving our restaurants is one of the biggest motivators and continues to push me every day.”
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