For the 70 million people said to be playing Facebook generated games at any one time, there is now a new option.

Rather than worrying about when to harvest the cyber vegetables or feed the virtual goats, gamers can now feel the rush of adrenaline that comes naturally to chefs on a restaurant line, especially when tickets start to back up and the servers get grouchy…or is it the chefs?

Launched today on Facebook and accessible by visiting the the Marriott Careers page, www.facebook.com/marriottjobsandcareers ,  My Marriott Hotel™ offers a virtual glimpse into what happens in the heart of the hotel, the kitchen.

Gamers set up their facility by selecting equipment and ingredients, planning a menu, and ultimately preparing the orders for waiting guests. As I said in my first blog, "You're only as good as your last meal".

Here, the chef watches for guest satisfaction (by way of a clean and green returned plate) while balancing the restaurant manager mood as the restaurant gets busier and busier. Serve a lot of meals to happy customers, the manager smiles…make the manager deal with disappointed guests, not so many smiles.

We started working on this many months ago with the idea of linking the unique opportunities of a career in hospitality with the surge in social online gaming.

Available globally and in five languages (English, Spanish, French, Arabic and Mandarin), My Marriott Hotel™ will build on the kitchen experience with future modules of restaurant service, housekeeping, front desk, etc.

Each of these departments represent where the majority of today's hotel leaders started their careers, and with 50,000 positions to fill this year alone, we hope to be tapping the prospect of a hospitality career of those playing the My Marriott Hotel™ game.

As part of the launch, over 350 Marriott HQ Associates joined our test kitchen team for a tour through the game and a non-virtual snack. With mini burgers flying off the grill, it gave the sense of playing the game for real.

There is nothing more exciting than a busy restaurant, so if you want to try running one of your own, check out the game and how it works on You Tube at http://bit.ly/MyMarriottHotelOverview

What's on YOUR plate today? Check out the game and see what's cooking!

My name is Brad Nelson and I am Marriott's corporate chef and vice president of culinary. I grew up in Seattle, Washington where I developed the passion for food that continues to follow me throughout my career. We savored the first salmon of the season, shopped Pike Place Market, grew vegetables in the family garden, and learned to respect nature's simple, clean flavors, which I strive to instill into the philosophy of our numerous global kitchens. More significant has been the daily food discoveries that still enlighten me, proving the old adage no one knows it all. That is never more accurate than in the food world. 

www.chefblog.marriott.com