A TOTAL of twenty-eight participants from different professional backgrounds were welcomed as the first cohort a few weeks ago at the official launch of the Food and Beverage Academy at the Marriott Hotel Guyana in Georgetown.
The academy is a skills training and career advancement initiative developed and spearheaded by the Marriott Hotel Guyana under the strategic vision and stewardship of the establishment’s executive team including the General Manager, Eduardo Reple and Food and Beverage Director, Juan Pallares.
Given the constant need to adapt and evolve alongside changing trends in the food and beverage industry, the overall goal of the academy’s two-week programme is to provide opportunities for participants to learn new skills that are crucial to the hospitality and tourism sectors.
Particularly, the training aims to build participants’ culinary experience to prepare a variety of meals as well as make and serve different beverages.
“The Food and Beverage Academy is one component that we are focused on in terms of service delivery,” said Reple, whose 47 years of experience acquired from working in the hospitality sector across the world is an asset to driving the hotel’s business growth.
He further highlighted that, “We invest in training because we believe that by empowering your associates to do their job, they will feel more confident in what they do, and by feeling that confidence they will be able to deliver a better service.”
Additionally, Pallares, who has worked at the hotel within several capacities since 2019 and brings over 15 years of experience, said, “Guyana is growing really fast… The initiative comes also with the needs that we can find specifically here in Guyana and it allows us to basically train people to ensure they are on the level and standard that we expect.”
The programme curriculum is led by a team of international and local hospitality specialists and it consists of modules that span various topics, and incorporate theoretical work and practical activities. Each participant can apply the knowledge gained and garner first-hand experience.
Furthermore, to ensure that participants acquire the necessary knowledge and expertise upon their completion for a career in hospitality, the groups will be assessed and awarded a certificate.
Pallares explained that, “based on the tests, there will be a result that tells you if you can actually continue or repeat it”.
He added: “The idea is that where we have repetition, there is retention. We want to be able to ensure that everyone can perform and pass.”
He mentioned that despite the challenging impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the initiative’s launch also provides scope to make learning a continuous process while building a resourceful and dynamic workforce that is motivated by an inherent passion to celebrate the food and beverage wonders of the hospitality industry.
Moreover, he disclosed that achieving quality and maintaining consistency in every aspect of the business operation is paramount to the hotel.
As a result, the daily processes undertaken to ensure that foods and beverages are safely prepared for consumption must follow strict guidelines and regulations.
Sourcing high-quality products and materials through local and international suppliers, building collaborations with local food and beverage brands, ensuring the kitchen and other storage facilities adhere to hygiene and sanitation protocols, and mastering serving etiquette are all aspects that are regulated to ensure that the hotel’s brand and standard is highly maintained.
As Guyana continues to reap the benefits from the country’s growing oil and gas sector, the academy is committed to providing specialised training to develop capacity for Guyanese to have a range of different skills essential to building a career in the hospitality industry.
