Today, Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the 40-day Christian fasting period until Easter. Even if nowadays it is less for religious reasons, many people take the opportunity to fast. The classics are to give up sugar, chocolate, sweets, alcohol as well as coffee. Adriana Marchetti, General Manager at the Falkensteiner Hotel Schladming, is going one step further this year to make the physical, mental, social, ecological, and spiritual dimensions of fasting palatable to herself and others. To this end, she is taking a training course to become a “spiritual fasting companion“. She told us in an interview what her motivation(s) for this is and what she expects for her (professional) everyday life:
Ms. Marchetti, please start by briefly introducing yourself and outlining your professional career!
Since July 2015, I have been responsible for the complete hotel management of the Falkensteiner Hotel Schladming as General Manager. As General Manager of the hotel, I have found a beautiful, fulfilling, and exciting task. In the last 5 years, I have succeeded in building up a stable team and a good clientele of regular guests. However, the hotel business was not my initial career aspiration. After graduating from high school, I wanted to study nutritional sciences at the university in Bonn (Germany) and had already secured a place. Before starting my studies, I decided to use the time for an internship in Fuerteventura at the Robinson Club. And so my plans changed and I started my professional career in the hotel industry.
You originally wanted to study nutritional science – what role does nutrition play in your job today?
F&B, i.e. Food and Beverage, has always been a big topic in my job and so the topic of nutrition continued to be my great passion. Over the years, the main focus changed to the connection “health and nutrition” and so the topic “fasting” also came up. After my own fasting experience 3 years ago in the Curhaus Bad Mühllacken, I became an absolute fan and great advocate.
What is the motivation behind your participation in the course to become a fasting companion “Fasting as I love it”?
When I saw the possibility of the course becoming a fasting companion, my interest was immediately aroused and I began to think about what completing the course would mean for me. I came and still come to the conclusion that, of course, in addition to a great enrichment for me personally, it also means a professional enrichment for me.
What plans do you have after completing the course?
After completing the course, I plan to offer fasting days/weeks for my employees as well as for hotel guests. It is important to me to show people how important nutrition is for their own health, both mentally and physically. Especially for my employees, who often get into an imbalance due to their working hours and a lot of stress, I would like to help them to find their balance again and to stabilize themselves through fasting as well as a healthy and conscious diet. In addition, the awareness of food should be awakened among employees as well as guests. I would like to draw attention to regionality, seasonality, and environmental protection. Of course, this is not done with a pointing finger and pressure, but as a (new) possibility to live one’s food.
What effects can fasting – apart from the physical aspects – have on oneself?
In addition to numerous positive effects, fasting promotes our perception through the reduction of abundance. Thus, renunciation can go beyond nutrition and generally offers the opportunity to rethink one’s own consumer behavior. In recent years, we have heard more and more about “cell phone fasting” and “social media fasting.” I wonder if “Netflix fasting” will be added this year? After all, you don’t have to be afraid that the show will run away from you, and there are also fast-breaking days (Sundays) for those who find 40 days in a row too long.
On this way through the course, we will accompany Adriana Marchetti from now on and she will provide you regularly with updates and insights – stay tuned! 🙂 And: No matter which fasting form you choose, we wish you “Happy Fasting”.
And: No matter which fasting form you choose, we wish you “Happy Fasting” and much success!
