Hotelier & Caterer Publication

Enhancing Bar Management Skills

Dear Sir,
I am a graduate and a diploma holder in hotel management (BBA). I am working with a five-star deluxe hotel for the past two years. Presently, I am incharge of the bar at the property. I wish to get your advice on the marketing strategies to be followed to improve business in the bar. This is mainly because I want to make big in this department and stand out from others.

Is it possible to send me notes or books or any other reading materials in connection with preparation of cocktails, mocktails, menus, bar design, tricks of the trade etc. Your early reply would be of much help.

Yours faithfully,
C Edwin
By E-mail

Dear Edwin,
It feels nice to see someone really committing himself to his career and making all the efforts to achieve success in the same. As you have already completed you course, you should be well aware of the tricks of the trade. Above all, you are working with a five-star property handling the bar itself proves that you have the potential to make it big in this section.

As far as directions to improve on the same is concerned, I think you should get in touch with Shatbi Basu. She runs the STIR Academy of Bartending in Mumbai. She would be able to provide all the necessary guidance required to enhance your performance and improve your management skills.

Her e-mail address is stir@vsnl.com and stirindia@yahoo.com. Books and reading materials for the bar section are aplenty, but we would not be able to send them to you as we do not stock them. It would be better that you contact her and explain you specific requirements and get her expert opinion on the same. Hope this helps you.

Hotel Management Course Abroad

Respected Sir,
I have few queries for which I need information on. I would be grateful to you if you can clarify/update me on the same. A friend of mine has applied for a hotel management course at IHMES. How is the school in terms of education imparted, assistance/assurance of job opportunities after the completion of the course and whether it is advisable to take up a course there.
Your reply at the earliest would be of great help.
Thanking you,
Durga Bhavani

Dear Durga,
You have not mentioned whether you are collecting the information for your friend or for yourself. Anyway, we had already featured IHMES about a year ago in our publication and also carried an interview with the director of the institute about seven months back.

You have also not mentioned the specific reason behind going abroad for your hotel management education. Studying abroad is not a bad decision but you should be very clear about what are you expecting from the course after its completion and how are you going to achieve it.

Most of the institutes (not every) abroad are good and have state-of-the-art infrastructural facilities, but again they are available at a price. They offer a good mix of classroom sessions and on-the-job training wherein a student can also work part-time and make money. As far as job opportunities are concerned they only provide assistance, but that again depends on the quality of the student.

So, if you are looking forward to complete your education abroad and work there, you need to keep in mind all the above factors before making a decision. But, if you are planning to come back and explore job opportunities in India, it would not be a wise decision.

Firstly, your expectations in terms of compensation package would be too high which the hospitality industry in India will not offer, except if you manage to get employed with a leading hotel or an international chain.
You also need to have very exceptional skills if you are looking at getting recruited for a higher post in India. If you do not meet the expectations of your employers you will be treated on par with any other hotel management graduate and will also start at the same level.

If you are really serious in making a career in the hospitality industry and are ready to bear all the hardships (believe me it is not that easy) associated with the same, only then will you be successful in achieving your goal.
What you can do is go through the article on page 14 of the publication dated October 2, 2000 titled ‘Studying Abroad: A User’s Manual’. As far as getting more information on IHMES is concerned please get in touch with their representatives in Mumbai. Their address is Agarwal Overseas Education Service, 233, Don-Fab Estate, Pokharan Road No 1, Upwan, Thane - 400 606, Mumbai, e-mail: bon@bom2.vsnl.net.in, website: www.aoesindia.com.

Career In Cruiselines

Wishing you all the best for your future.

Further Studies In America

Dear sir,

I am doing a four-year degree course in hotel management and have just finished my third-year exams. Currently, I am doing my industrial training at the Leela Palace in Goa. I wish to make a career in the human resource department of the hospitality industry.

I also want to pursue further studies in America. I would be grateful to you if you could guide me about which are the universities in USA which offer management courses and are there any companies that offer sponsorships.

Thanking you
Saurabh Gupta
By e-mail

Dear Saurabh,
After you complete your four-year degree course, you can apply for a Masters in Hospitality Management - MHM. For admission, your current subjects need to be acknowledged by the college concerned. The course takes around two and a half years, where you can also apply for a TA (teaching assistant) scholarship in the first semester itself.

To you, I recommend the college where I finished studies. The Conrad N Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management. The college is attached to the University of Houston although it is an independent entity. It is a premier institute in the land and the graduates are highly sought after. The requirements are TOEFL, and GRE or GMAT.

The college details can be explored at www.uh.edu then go to the hotel management college. You can give my name as reference. Though be warned, the curriculum focus is mainly on management and hardly any culinary classes. One can work on campus if support is not there at first.

About companies sponsoring, it cannot be done without an H1B visa. Getting a sponsor is not easy, therefore do not believe any one who say it is. Only after some theoretical studies and practical experience does the company then consider you for a job position.

Good Luck
Abraham J Vargis

(The advisor is assistant general manager, Drury Hotels, Houston, Texas in USA)

Prospects In Japanese Cuisine

Respected Sir,
I have completed my hotel management course in May 2000. Currently, I am working with a five-star deluxe hotel in New Delhi, in the food and beverage production in the Japanese kitchen.

Could you please tell me about the scope of Japanese cuisine in India. This information will help me in a great way as I wish to make a career in the food and beverage production. Do you think Japanese cuisine will do well in India and what are the prospects for a person associated with this cuisine.

Achal Aggarwal,
By e-mail

Dear Achal,
Firstly, my best wishes to for getting yourself a job. Coming to your query, I would put it like this. Any cuisine which is done well, presented in style and with authenticity will definitely enjoy a good market and the response will be excellent.

With globalisation and opening of the Indian market, the country has been experiencing a heavy influx of international tourists in the form of leisure travellers and business travellers. The percentage of Japanese tourists is on an increase in the country and as a result hotels in the metropolitan cities are planning to introduce Japanese cuisine in their speciality restaurants. Besides, there is a sizeable number of Indians who are constantly on a look out for something beyond the routines.

I strongly feel that you must stick on to your present profile, develop a taste for it and keep learning as much as you can. The cuisine has many departments like tepanyaki, sushiya, tempura, kaiseki and each of it needs specialisation. If you are working under a Japanese born chef, I would advice you not to move and stick on. With your commitment and dedication, one day you will enjoy a good market for yourself.

I have worked in Japan for nine years as a chef and for the last five years as a consultant chef. What I feel is that if you are good in what you are doing you will be invited by multinational (hotels), provided you deliver what you claim to do.

By Hemant Pansare
(The advisor is an ex-OCLD– student, has nine years of work experience in the industry, has worked with the leading hotels like Oberoi Hotels and the Hilton Group and is currently a consultant for hotels)

Ph D In Tourism

Dear Sir,
I hold a bachelor’s degree in hotel management and a master’s degree in tourism management. Presently, I am working as lecturer for hotel management and tourism in Garden City College, Virgonagar in Bangalore.

I want to upgrade my qualifications and I wish to do a PhD programme in tourism. Please provide me with the necessary information on universities that offer Ph D programme either part-time or through distance education.

I would appreciate if you could provide me with the details at the earliest.

Thanking you,
M Devendra
Bangalore

Dear Devendra,
We are glad that you are keen on upgrading your qualification thus making yourself more competent. The programme can be done either full-time or through distance education. Part-time programmes are not available.

Regarding the Ph D programme, there are very few universities which offer the programme. Firstly, looking at your location, get in touch with Madurai Kamraj University, Directorate of Distance Education, Palkalai Nagar, Madurai - 625 021. You could also e-mail them at ddemku@mds.vsnl.net.in. The university has upto 36 centres throughout the country thus making it more easier for you to choose the nearest one.

Apart from that, you can write to Kurukshetra University, Department of Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaelogy, Kurukshetra, Haryana. As per the information provided to us, the person incharge there provides the necessary guidance in this area. Try contacting Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathawada University, University Campus, Aurangabad, Maharashtra, for the info on PhD programme. They offer MTM and MTA courses and could guide you further for the PhD programme.

We are in the process of tracing other universities that offer similar programmes but that will take some time. Hope this information serves the purpose.

Researching Eco-Tourism

Dear Sir,
I am a regular reader of your publication. I am working as lecturer in tourism and travel management at MLN College. Besides, I am also doing a research on eco-tourism and marketing of the concept. I would be grateful to you, if you could provide me with details as to names, addresses and websites of the institutions/organisations, government or non-government, national or international bodies working on eco-tourism.

Looking forward to your reply.
Dr Adarsh Batra,
Yamuna Nagar, Haryana

Dear Adarsh,
Eco-tourism is really gaining importance in the hospitality industry today. As you are a regular reader of the publication you must have come across information published in the magazine on the concept eco-tourism and stories related with the same from time to time.

Coming to your query, what we would suggest is to get in touch with B P Sahni, principal, Anjuman-i-Islam IHMCT, Mumbai. His e-mail id is sahnibp@vsnl.com. He will assist you with the necessary info you require.

As far as websites are concerned, please check the site put up by The Orchid Hotel www.orchidhotel.com. You could also check the HVS site at www.ecotel.com.

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