Hotel Cateys 2021: Housekeeper of the Year: KK Prabakaran, Dukes London

As executive head housekeeper at 87-bedroom, five-red-AA-starred Dukes London, KK Prabakaran is responsible for some 30 team members in housekeeping and the health club.

He played a key procurement role in the hotel’s multimillion-pound refurbishment and is now responsible for procurement for almost the whole hotel. On his own initiative, he achieved GBAC certification (a cleaning programme with a bias towards Covid/Sars prevention in the workplace), and introduced a new working structure in housekeeping to ensure Covid protocols were followed.

His team’s wellbeing and career growth is clearly a high priority. He introduced flexible working hours for single parents so they can manage their work and private lives more effectively, and created opportunities for staff to learn hard skills such as French polishing, carpentry and plumbing as well as soft skills.

During the lockdowns, some of his team showed an interest in applying for jobs in areas such as retail, care homes and customer services while they were off work. He personally guided and supported them throughout their job search journey, offering help with writing CVs and covering letters, as well as with soft skills such as body language.

A handful of his team members also benefitted from his support with letters from HMRC and the council, and applying for universal credit for family members.

He was on the committee formed by the United Kingdom Housekeepers Association (UKHA) to help create, develop and launch a housekeeping cleaning toolkit for all hospitality businesses. Just before the world came to a standstill over Covid, he had created a Whats­App group for housekeepers to share best practice, which has since become the official WhatsApp group for all UKHA members.

Giving back to the community is also high on his agenda. He regularly takes part in local charity events, which has included gathering a small team of his own friends to distribute essential dry foods every week in east London.

He has also shared his two decades’ worth of experience with young hospitality students in India, mentoring a number of students each year from his very own hotel school, and offering online personal development classes to these students. He is now looking into expanding this initiative across hotel schools in India and believes it will open new opportunities for aspiring young hotel graduates.

What the judges said

“During the pandemic KK has become a juggler, covering all jobs in his team, rolling his sleeves up for a refurbishment and setting up communication channels with his team, the hotel and the UKHA. I know that he will use this award to promote housekeeping as a career and show what can be achieved by hard work, determination and thinking outside the box.”

Ian Hughes

“KK is totally committed to motivating his team to achieve first-class cleanliness and hygiene while enhancing the guest’s experience. During the pandemic he was totally committed to training and development. A very worthy winner.”

Liz Smith-Mills

The shortlist

Juris Dubrovskis The Athenaeum Hotel & Residences, London

Gosia Oszkiel The Grand Brighton

KK Prabakaran Dukes London

Camelia Sandru Supercity Aparthotels

Past winners

2019 Tzveta Ivanova, the Milestone Hotel & Residences, London

2018 Fernanda Telatin Lewis, the Goring, London

2017 Amelia Lawrence, the Grove, Chandler’s Cross, Hertfordshire

2016 Jane Steel, Luton Hoo Hotel, Golf & Spa, Luton, Bedfordshire

2015 Margo van der Werf, Lancaster London

2014 Joanna Patek, Hilton London Heathrow Airport Terminal 5

2013 David Smith, Park Plaza London Riverbank, and Plaza on the River, London

2012 Lesley Skelt, Coworth Park, Ascot

2011 Jude Gallacher, Headland hotel, Newquay, Cornwall

2010 Barbara Sheridan, Thistle Marble Arch, London