Who? Maya Kapinos, Director of Operations at Hippopotamus Soisy
Number of participation to waiters races: 1 (1997)
City of participation: Paris
About Maya Kapinos
Born in Germany, Maya Kapinos is living in France since 1992. After getting her catering diploma in her country and having worked in two restaurants in Berlin, Maya decides to immigrate to Paris. She first worked as an au pair in Palaiseau and then became a waitress in the restaurant Hippopotamus in the Wagram avenue. She remained in that position for one year before becoming successively Leader Master Hotel and Assistant Manager. Since 2000, Maya, which is still working at Hippopotamus, is now handling the operations parts of the Hippopotamus Soisy Paris.
About the profession, 5 questions to Maya
The hardest part of being a waitress:
the number of working hours and the schedule.
Your favorite part of the profession:
The contact with the clients and with my team.
The qualities that every waitress should have :
The smile, the speed, politeness and to be well-organized.
According to you what can accelerate the career of a waiter?
A lot of personal investment!
According to you what are the differences between being a waiter in 1960 and being a waiter in 2011?
I think that the job is easier now.
About Paris 1997 waiters race
In 1997, Maya participated for the first time to a waiters race. The Hippopotamus George V where she used to work then, registered her to the competition. Until then, Maya did not know anything about the concept of a waiters race. Maya says she didn’t really train before the race except that she run from times to times but without a tray. At that time, Paris waiters race used to feature an incredible 8 km route with a round trip from the Opera Square to the Hotel de Ville. Over 400 men and women used to participate to that race and were offering to the French capital an incredible show. Maya remembers a great atmosphere and enthusiastic spectators.
Maya who said she was stressed before the race quickly took the lead during the race, however, she didn’t know anything about her rank until the spectators informed her about it. Maya then decided to hang-in in order to get one of the podium places. She indeed won the second trophee in the women division after a 48 minutes and 52 seconds run and just behind Maria Persson from the Gernes Day Group . A funny story about this race: Maya wore at the last minute before the race the number 164 that should normally have worn Stella Javault also from the Hippopotamus George V and who eventually canceled her participation. Unfortunately, the organizers have not had time to change the listings and the results were then forwarded with the name of Stella Javault. After the race, all the newspapers corrected the mistake with the headline ”Let’s giver her race back to Maya!”.
Maya won a mobile phone “Sagem” offered by the organizers but also 10 000 francs from Flo Group to which she belonged to.
Maya’s advices
For participants: ‘The tray is a story of balance and hard work … but I have to confess I’ve never trained!”
For Organizers: ”The components of a successful waiters race: the weather, motivated waiters and a big audience”
