Internship in L'Ecailler

During my semester, i found an internship in a french luxury seafood restaurant in Shanghai. The restaurant is new, so they needed a communication and marketing manager whom could develop their image. I presented myself and they were interested in my profile, that is the begginning of the story.

L'Ecailler is owned by Phillipe RIcard, a famous french owner in Shanghai which has already a restaurant called La Crèperie. This one takes benefit of a good notoriety in the city. The concept of La Crèperie is very different of L'Ecailler, in fact the average basket is 170RMB (12euros) for one main dish and one dessert, or in L'Ecailler it is more like 300RMB (the double !). In fact, the Crèperie attract everyone, it is a middle range restaurant which propose simple but good dishes. 

To the contrary, L'Ecailler is a luxurious restaurant, the seafood is very worthy and it targets only rich chinese or expat people. The main dish is the oysters, freshly imported of France ! Mmmh !

 

The marketing issue for L'Ecailler is quite complicated, in fact the culture of the restaurant is not so well developped. The owner and the manager are french, the employees are chinese, expect me and my collegue Estefania which is spanish. This point is very very relevant. You can't know how much. The thing in China is, chinese people don't work as european does. They were formed as monotask employee, not very autonomous and creative. therefore generally in all the european restaurant in Shanghai, the manager which took responsability come from abroad and the workforce is chinese. This organization could work if you are conscious of that.

When I arrive, the communication and marketing intern didn't really exist. It was a total bungle! They realize that the restaurant was not working as they would, so they hire me and a marketing professional. They rethink all the restaurant bases, and it was good for them.

My principal task was to develop the communication in media, included social media, networing and press magazine.

I contact numerous magazine, bars and clubs, websites... I was the ambassador of the Ecailler. I represented it during events and gatherings. I do appreciate to do that, but the thing is that it is not complicated to do it and I felt like I learn nothing.

Anyway, it was interesting to see the restaurant managing, to see what environment it is. Luxury market always interested me, so that is a good experience for me I think.