Swanky hospitality institute V M Salgaocar Institute of
International Hospitality Education in Raia is spread over a 6-acre campus and
boasts the usual top notch amenities like wifi, current curriculum, and over
five sparkling practice kitchens that would make even the laziest cook want to
don an apron and whip up something succulent and fabulous. The international
and regional staff, computer lab and amphitheatre all provide for a top notch
learning experience, but really it’s the air conditioned hostel rooms and
crystal clear swimming pool that really sweeten the deal at the end of the day.
The institute offers a 3-year BSc degree that is affiliated to Goa University
and also has an accreditation by internationally acclaimed Dublin Institute of
Technology in Ireland. And with facilities that match 5-star standards,
students who leave will no doubt feel they just left one 5-star for another.
The fine dining experience is conducted bi-weekly using real
people in mock reel time. These are practical sessions involving the food and
beverage departments where the students are divided into two teams. One team
serves while the other creates the meal. In order to provide the students with
a sampling of the real world and actual situations, each member of the VMSIIH
institute brings in a guest. Here guests are encouraged to point out any
mistakes noted in the services offered, the length of time taken or even if the
steward simply didn’t smile wide enough; all criticisms, whether cordial or
hostile are seriously and duly noted. VMSIIH offers reel time situations to
help prepare for the bigger experience and the students get the opportunity to
work under pressure which is a norm in the hospitality industry. The 3-year BSc
degree program in International Hospitality Management works in collaboration
with Dublin Institute of Technology, Ireland, and seeks to provide a
challenging program that will help its students develop a critical, analytical,
and evaluative approaches to hospitality management.
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Prof Irfan Mirza, the Director at VMSIIHE, points out, “This
institute offers the best in terms of course curriculum and infrastructure. As
part of our training module, twice a week we offer a fine dining lunch at our
training restaurant Creams. The current batch of students run the restaurant
right from planning the menu for the day, cooking the elaborate meals and offering
the very best of service under the able guidance of Georges Ortiz and Max
Hauzer. Right from taking the orders, laying out cutlery to plating meals
before the guests, the students of VMSIIHE make sure that guests have an
unusual fine dining experience.”
The students begin with a solid grounding in fundamentals of
hospitality service, followed by courses in managerial competencies for skills,
specialisations and advanced management skills. The 3-year degree provides a
challenging program that ensures their students develop a critical, analytical,
and evaluative approach to hospitality management. Their study course also
includes unique programs like French, drama and music as VMSIIH’s aim is to
provide for a well-honed, all-rounded experience. A professional six month
internship at the end of the course rounds off the three-year VMSIIH study.
Georges Ortiz, a member of the international faculty, says.
“Fine dining is an art. It’s done very differently in Europe where the very
highest standards of culinary service are observed. It is important to pay
attention to the finest of details when it comes to a fine dining experience.
Learning it theoretically in a classroom is not enough. Students need to learn
through practical sessions. This kind of a restaurant setting helping them gain
practical knowledge and prepares them for a life in the hospitality industry.”
With world class amenities, it wouldn’t be surprising if
VMSHIIH churned out the next generation Floyd Cardoz or Curtis Stone, or Rachel
Allen. From reel to real, VMSIIH is committed to producing quality hospitality
staff in a state that is known for the same.
