Pros and cons of pursuing a culinary education

What are the advantages? What about the drawbacks? Is a degree in culinary arts the best option for you? These are the questions you might have had in mind if you are passionate about cooking or thinking of pursuing a career in this field. But worry not, we got you covered with the pros and cons of pursuing a culinary education!

The pros of having a culinary education

Multiple career opportunities

You can be a significant appeal for hiring chefs by bringing an established skill set from culinary school and showing that you have the drive to work hard. Attending a culinary school can demonstrate your commitment to Food & Beverage as a career, not simply a side gig.

Learn from industry experts

Besides teaching practical skills and techniques, culinary schools can introduce students to mentors and a vast network of culinary professionals. Throughout their culinary program, students get the chance to learn from a variety of Chef Instructors. These professionals in the sector include James Beard Award winners, Certified Executive Chefs, Michelin-starred chefs, and restaurant owners. This entails being exposed to a range of ideologies, methods, and culinary trends, which can assist you in becoming a professional chef too!

Develop essential skills

Students in culinary schools are required to establish discipline and excellent habits early on. They must be on time, dressed neatly, and prepared to work. Good habits are essential since a great cook must be well-organized and clean at all times. After all, hiring managers typically want candidates who will require the least amount of on-the-job training in terms of time, effort, and money.

The cons of having a culinary education

Time investment

It takes time to learn. Getting educated in culinary could hinder your ability to make significant changes, such as beginning a new business, job, or vacation, but in the end, it will all be worth it. Pursuing your dream career is a time investment.

Balance work-school life

Students in culinary schools frequently need to work part-time jobs to cover their living expenses. Some students are older and have families to support in addition to their studies. This can make going to school for several hours each day a little difficult. The culinary school programs offered by Hospitality Academy can help with this particular set of conditions. You can choose between an on-campus or online culinary program, and both will result in you getting a job or internship in the most renowned restaurants in the world!

Difficulty in finding a high-end job right after graduation

We are aware that finding a job right out of college can be difficult, as employers require broad experience. But don’t be worried! That is when top hospitality schools like Hospitality Academy can be of help: after completing the study program of your choice or your desired culinary education, you will be assisted in your job search, get CV coaching and extensive preparation with mock interviews, assistance with visa processes, and much more! Besides, we are partnered with famous Michelin-star restaurants and luxury hotels around the globe - so what are you waiting for? Send an email to admissions@pihospitalityacademy.com to get more information about our culinary programs.

Masterchefs of the USA

Author: Cosmina Bradea

Being a chef may provide the finest of the best with incredible opportunities, like publishing cookbooks, appearing on television, and traveling the world for diverse food-related events. The most well-known chefs in the US have had a significant impact on not only other culinary experts but also on our own culinary interests and preferences. Which encourages us to experiment with new food varieties and combinations at restaurants, at home, and abroad. But who are the masterchefs of the USA who revolutionized the food industry?

Mario Batali

Co-owner of more than 25 renowned restaurants in New York, Las Vegas, California, Singapore, Boston, Chicago, and Connecticut is chef Mario Batali. Currently, the world's largest artisanal Italian food and wine emporium is located in Eataly NYC, one of his three Eataly sites. Batali is the author of 11 cookbooks, one of which was a New York Times bestseller and James Beard Award winner. He has also earned the Outstanding Chef of the Year and Best Chef: New York City awards from the James Beard Foundation. With so many awards and accomplishments, Mario Batali will definitely remain in America’s gastronomic history.

Wolfgang Puck

Wolfgang Puck played an important role in creating the California and Las Vegas culinary scenes and popularizing Asian fusion cooking in America by combining French techniques with Californian and Asian influences. Today, Puck operates close to 30 upscale restaurants around the Middle East, Europe, Asia, and North America. Furthermore, his business provides packaged food, beverages, cookbooks, and cooking supplies in addition to owning and franchising more than 50 fast-casual and casual restaurants. Puck is the only chef to have been named the James Beard Foundation’s Outstanding Chef of the Year multiple times.

Grant Achatz

Molecular food pioneer Grant Achatz is renowned for his dramatic, participatory presentations, which include his renowned Tabletop Dessert. His signature restaurant Alinea, in Chicago has three Michelin stars and has made numerous 'Best Restaurant' lists. From 2011 through 2016, it topped Elite Traveler's ranking of the top 100 restaurants in the world for six straight years. Another Michelin star belongs to Achatz for his Next restaurant in Chicago, which features constantly shifting themes. The Aviary and The Office, two of his high-concept cocktail bars, are currently open in both Chicago and New York.

Thomas Keller

With a total of seven Michelin stars at this time, Thomas Keller is the most celebrated chef in the United States. His renowned Bay Area eatery The French Laundry, which serves traditional French cuisine with a humorous American touch, is where he is most known. In 2003 and 2004, Restaurant Magazine ranked The French Laundry the best restaurant in the world, and in 2007, The French Laundry received three Michelin stars. Keller is the only US chef to simultaneously own two three-star restaurants thanks to its sibling restaurant in New York, Per Se, which has held an additional three stars since 2005.

Jean-Georges Vongerichten

French-born chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten owns 14 restaurants in his adoptive home of New York, including his first eatery, Jojo, and his two Michelin-starred flagship restaurant Jean-Georges. This chef has restaurants all around the world. A generation of new cooks was inspired by Vongerichten's inventive interpretation of traditional French cuisine, which gave rise to an exclusively American style of nouvelle cuisine. No single chef has had more of an impact on how New Yorkers eat out, how other chefs prepare their food, and how other restaurants look during the past 20 years, according to The New York Times.

Besides these world-renowned chefs, there are so many young chefs making a name for themselves. Nonetheless, their hard work, dedication, and passion should be greatly appreciated. Revolutionizing the world of gastronomy is not an easy task!

If you want to follow in the footsteps of these legendary chefs, then follow our Culinary Course or Advanced Diploma in Culinary Arts! Upon completion of the program, Hospitality Academy will help you find your dream job in the most renowned Michelin-Star restaurants in the world! The world of gastronomy awaits you!

What it means to be a Top Chef

Thinking of becoming a chef and inspiring the world with your food? Maybe you even dream of becoming the new Gordon Ramsay or fancy yourself as a millennial Anthony Bourdain? Chefs across the country explain what goes on in their jobs and lifestyles and what it means to work in one of the busiest and hardest industries.

“Most days start with some activity”

Working as a Chef often means working inside a kitchen until late at night regularly, which is why it is important to start your mornings with something that energizes you - a nice breakfast, a stroll outside, or some exercise.

Executive chef and co-owner of New York’s Eleven Madison Park and The NoMad in New York and Los Angeles, Daniel Humm, dedicates his mornings to going outside and working out. “Most days start with some activity: a run in Central Park, a bike ride around the city or along the Hudson. It sets me up for success and gives me space to get away, to wander in my thoughts and clear my head,” Humm says.

“It’s a labor of love”

“I don’t think people know the hours that go into the job,” Chris Shepherd, co-owner and executive chef of One/Fifth and Underbelly Hospitality in Houston says. “It’s long. It’s a labor of love: the hours, money, everything.”

Becoming a chef surely means giving up on many events and holidays. A 70-hour workweek isn’t unusual in the industry - a common day for Shepherd consists of going to work at 8:30 AM and then working until closing time, adding up to a 16-hour day. Are you ready to dedicate most of your time to your job and call the people you work with your new family?

“There is a team behind every chef”

Being just a good cook is not sufficient to consider yourself an exceptional chef. There are a lot of other responsibilities and skills that you’ll need in this industry. Time management, hospitality knowledge, and communication skills are only some of them. And then there's being a boss. “A successful chef needs to be able to lead a team, to inspire, to critique, and to praise,” Daniel Humm says. “It’s about managing people just as much as it is about putting together a menu and having the ability to cook delicious food.”

Erling Wu-Bower, executive chef and co-owner of Pacific Standard Time in Chicago, puts a lot of importance on being a mentor and teacher daily. “There is a team behind every chef,” he says. “I work with a big network of farmers, purveyors, designers, dishwashers, cooks, and so many more every day. They all contribute hugely to what our guests taste on their plates.”

“It’s a dance choreographed at the moment”

Communication is essential in most workplaces and this remains the same between the kitchen and the dining room. “Without it, our timing would never work. Our team knows the cues for when to get dishes ready, how long a dish may take to prepare, and there’s a constant conversation between the kitchen and dining room to ensure we don’t miss a beat,” Humm says. It's all a matter of communication between all staff members - chefs, cooks, waiters - and diners. “The expeditor orchestrates the timing of everything that happens in the kitchen,” Wu-Bower says. “It’s a dance choreographed at the moment.” This can be insanely difficult but not impossible!

“You want to get a taste of the place you’re in”

Chefs have busy schedules and are around food all day. They also have to travel a lot which leaves them with little time to cook at home. So it’s only natural that they would rather spend their free time away from the kitchen.

When dining out, chefs aren’t necessarily looking for five-course meals, but they are drawn to cuisines they don’t cook in their kitchens. “You want to get a taste of the place you’re in. I live in a neighborhood in Chicago that’s exploding with new restaurants and it’s been fun to try them all,” Wu-Bower says. “I like to order what’s in season or specific to a city or that restaurant’s specialty,” Humm says. But just like any guest, the hospitality they receive, the surprise on the plate, and most importantly the time with others are what they love. “My favorite thing about eating out is enjoying a moment with friends or family,” he adds. “The convivial spirit of sharing a table, hands reaching for dishes, and the conversation that ensues. That’s what I love."

Working as a chef may be the toughest job you’ll ever love. Jesse Schenker, chef-owner of Recette and the Gander in New York City, says that "the coolest part of being a chef is the rush of being in the kitchen and seeing my team put out great food, having an idea become a reality on the plate and seeing the smiles on the guest’s face when they eat my food."

Now that you know what it means to be a chef, you are ready to step into the working world and take on this challenge. If you are looking to earn an advanced diploma in culinary arts in Europe, Hospitality Academy can help! We provide you with theoretical knowledge while guaranteeing you paid work experience in luxury hotels and restaurants in the United States and Europe.

Furthermore, we also offer visa-support services to our students to ensure that they enjoy their travel as well as their educational and work experience. If you are interested in learning more about how we, as Hospitality Academy, can help you develop and enhance your hospitality career, you can email us at admissions@pihospitalityacademy.com to receive more information about our study programs!

Grant Achatz - A Legendary Alumni of CIA

Grant Achatz was born in a small town in Michigan, USA in 1974. There, he first started his culinary career, working at his family owned restaurant. Quickly realizing that cooking had become a passion for him, Achatz decided to take his career to the next level. He enrolled in one of the most prestigious culinary schools in the USA, the Culinary Institute of America.

During his education Grant Achatz would learn many standards and techniques he prides on today. As he puts it himself:

“I entered the CIA at a very young age with no fine dining or classic training. The school gave me the foundation that is required to execute the cooking style I now use”.

After Graduating from the CIA in 1994, the pinnacle of his culinary career began

Upon graduation, Grant Achatz would spend a brief time working in the Charlie Trotters Chicago restaurant. Later on, he moved to California where he worked for 4 years under esteemed chef Thomas Keller at the French Laundry restaurant. Grant Achatz would later describe Keller as his ideal mentor, having learned a large amount of what he now knows and does.

“It felt like I was rubbing shoulders with the master, I wanted to be Thomas Keller and I was super dedicated to learning how to cook like him.”
Grant Achatz

With his high quality education and extensive experience under Keller, Grant Achatz was ready to shine!

Grant moved back to Chicago to take over the kitchen of the luxury restaurant Trio in 2001. While already esteemed, Trio would soar in popularity under the leadership of Achatz. Eventually the restaurant achieved 5 stars from Forbes Travel Guide, one of only 13 establishments to hold the rating.

In 2005, Grant Achatz opened his first restaurant, Alinea, in Chicago. The cuisine served at his restaurant was something that, up to this point, had been relatively unheard of:

Molecular Cuisine

This method of cooking involves elaborate tools to extract flavors using chemical and physical reactions within the ingredients. Achatz’s signature addition of complementary smells made Alinea an explosion of sensory experiences. Alinea was named “best restaurant in the USA” by Gourmet magazine in 2006.

Grant Achatz battles cancer

He battled fiercely with tongue cancer, which caused him to lose his sense of taste. Doctors warned him that after his surgery, he only had a 50% chance of living for more than 2 years. However, Grant Achatz beat the odds. While he did indeed lose his taste due to chemotherapy, his sense of taste would recuperate. In the period after his surgery, his taste was non-existent. However, one by one, certain flavors returned to his pallet, starting with the sensation of sweetness.

While understandably shaken by the ordeal, Achatz credits his recuperation as a learning experience. He was able to isolate individual flavors as they came back to him one by one. In his words in regards to the recovery:

“My palate developed just as a newborn — but I was 32 years old. I could understand how flavors were coming back and how they synergized together. ... It was very educational for me. I don't recommend it, but I think it made me a better chef because now I really understand how flavor works."

Despite his health problems, chef Achatz continued to excel

His first and most famous restaurant, Alinea, received 3 Michelin stars. It is the only restaurant in Chicago to do so. Grant also opened another fine dining restaurant, Next, and two cocktail bars. All restaurants and bars have gone on to gain heavy prestige in their field.

A fun & creative chef with a unique mind!

Throughout his career Achatz has proven himself to be a creative chef with a unique mind for cooking that has brought him to the very front of the culinary world. He is one of the leading pioneers of molecular cooking on the global stage and has continued to invest in creative technology to help revolutionize the modern dining industry. Grant can be considered to be one of the most exciting, up and coming chefs of the 21st century. However, he could not achieve his goals if he did not take the plunge from his family-owned restaurant to the prestigious classrooms of CIA, as he put it himself:

“You can’t push boundaries without having a foundation. The CIA was critical in building that foundation and that fundamental understanding of food, the way it behaves, the way it comes together.”

Inspired yet? Well you should be!

Grant Achatz has taken an incredible journey to become who he is, and it all started at the Culinary Institute of America. If you would like to follow in his footsteps, or start your own story, then we can help you! Just send an email to admissions@pihospitalityacademy.com!

How Traveling Helps Personal Development

With the constant increase in accessibility and availability of travel possibilities, many of us can make travels to even the most remote corners of the world at relative ease. According to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), in 2019, there was a record of 1.5 billion international tourist arrivals, increasing by 7% from the previous year. While tourism and travel have greatly increased in the past years, it is not a new concept. Archaeologists have been able to map out the touristic travels of ancient civilizations such as the Mayans, Shang dynasty, and the Phoenicians. Therefore, Our ancestors were making travels long before Low-cost airlines, Big Bus Tours, and Airbnb.

What is it about traveling and tourist activities that draw us in and drive us to explore? Humans have always been inquisitive and held a fascination with the unknown. Travelling opens up the doors to countless experiences, encounters, and life lessons. Let’s explore the benefits of traveling and how it can help you grow as well as develop new skills.

Traveling brings us closer

On your trip 5000km away from home, you may expect to find a completely different language, culture, and way of life to what you are used to. With larger distances and different languages, preconceptions, stereotypes, and fear of the unknown. But through travel, you may come to realize that the differences you thought existed are not as extreme as you imagined.

Traveling helps in connecting and learning about different cultures and ridding ourselves of existing preconceptions. Think of the fact that most tourists have become more open-minded, tolerant, empathetic, and understanding towards one another. Being open-minded is one of the best skills you can have in your professional and personal life as this gives you a positive perspective on new challenges and helps you work with new people. As we are ever more interconnected with one another, cross-cultural competence and understanding is a skill that will never be futile.

Traveling changes your perspective

Stepping outside of your normal routine, surroundings, and comfort zone helps to change your perspective, not only on your life but on the world around you. Travelling humbles you and can help to put your problems into a new perspective. Far too many times might we have an opinion on a place or culture before we had ever visited, and had this opinion completely transformed after our trip. As a tourist or a traveler, you will learn to understand the world around you from a different perspective and build your understanding of the world around you. You will receive valuable lessons and experiences from other cultures and ways of life, which you can take away and can help you mold your daily life into something different.

Develops your skills

Traveling helps you develop countless skills which can be useful both in your personal and professional life. You can develop decision-making, communication skills, confidence, independence, language skills, and problem-solving skills. Traveling places you in a new and sometimes confusing environment where you are forced to tackle new challenges whether you are ready or not. You will develop these skills in some way or another even without realizing it. Simple things such as asking for directions, ordering a meal, or looking for lost luggage will all challenge you differently, and help you develop a variety of skills.

A tourist hiking and contemplating a picturesque landscape

Helps build relationships

Travel is as much about the people as it is the destination. During your travels, you have the opportunity to encounter many different people from all types of backgrounds. You have the chance to build lifelong friendships, or even build and test your existing relationships with your travel companion(s).

Learning how to interact with different people in many situations is an important skill to hone and you can utilize this in all aspects of your life, for many years to come. Building new relationships and friendships with people from around the world can help you broaden your horizons and build your network.

A good way to enjoy the benefit of traveling is by undertaking a study abroad program. To learn more about how Hospitality Academy can help you achieve your traveling and educational goals in the USA, contact us by sending an email to admissions@pihospitalityacademy.com.

Study Abroad Tips

It's a whole new school year and it is probably the start of your study abroad program! This is a time of the year full of promise and opportunity. If your goal is to start the year off on the right track abroad, a few simple tips can help you start on the path to success. Here are five tips on how to make this school year a great one.

We have compiled a list of useful tips to help you navigate your online studies and make the most of this new norm.

Break down your tasks

Similarly to your normal life, you may be juggling multiple courses with online classes, assignments, reading, group projects and exams, and more. It is easy to become overwhelmed with the sheer amount of things to do!

A woman searching for a book in the library

Make lists of your tasks and prioritize them by importance to ensure you don’t miss anything out. Once you have mapped out on paper (or online), everything you need to do, you don’t have to worry about forgetting something, and you can focus on the task at hand. Use a calendar or application to help you keep track of your work, and set a realistic schedule to complete the tasks.

Use tools to stay connected

There are a plethora of online and mobile applications which can help you maximize your study time and help you with your productivity and connectivity. Explore your options and figure out what works best for you!

If you are distracted by social media or certain websites, try a productivity App. If you like to stay in touch with friends and teachers and miss your chats try: Zoom, Skype, Google Hangouts, and Microsoft Teams. Maybe you are writing essays and struggling to find the right words, how about Grammarly?

The important part is finding what works for you, and making the most of it. Have a chat with some of your classmates and teachers as you may be able to discover a new and useful tool!

Stay engaged when it matters

Try to stay engaged and focused when it matters. Maintaining a routine and focusing on your task at hand will help you complete things quicker and more efficiently.

If you normally take notes during a lecture, don’t change this now. Make sure to prepare yourself with a notebook and pen beforehand.

Take a break- Have fun abroad

Juggling classes, social media updates, the news, Netflix, Skyping with your family, going out on a walk or a party with friends it may feel like you don’t have a free moment anymore! Remember to take a break. Especially one from your screen!

Staring at a screen all day is draining, not only your eyes but your whole body. Remember to take regular breaks to have a stretch, walk around or glance out of your window to take some time to connect with reality.

Put your phone down at least 30 minutes before you go to sleep to allow your body to relax and don’t reach for it first thing in the morning. Take time for yourself, away from the screen.

Work while you study abroad

Another great way of staying motivated and enjoying your academic year is the ability to have a job on the side that will help you to build your CV while making some extra income on the side. Most students who work while studying abroad end up having a great Cv at the end of their studies thus have a competitive advantage over those who do not have any experience.

Reward yourself

You may feel stressed, overwhelmed, and unmotivated. It is easy to become lost in the blur of days when there is so much to do but with not enough time to complete all your tasks. Try to set goals, make a plan that will help you meet your deadlines, and submit great papers.

Don’t be afraid to reward yourself for your success! Maybe you attended all your lectures this week, studied an extra hour, or started an assignment you have been putting off. Well done! Treat yourself to a nap or dessert, an extra hour watching your favorite series, or that discounted product you have been eyeing on Amazon.

Supporting yourself during school times and stopping to congratulate yourself for doing something difficult, will help you stay motivated and support positive study habits in the future!

It has been proven that studying abroad comes up with great benefits and when combined with a great experience both on an academic and professional level, it is a great recipe for success. To learn more about how Hospitality Academy can help you achieve your traveling and educational goals in the USA, contact us by sending an email to admissions@pihospitalityacademy.com.

To access your passport to the world of hospitality, APPLY NOW to our programs.

Michelin Stars Spain and Portugal 2022

Author: Jarya Kotyleng

Another year was marked by the celebration of what is considered the Oscars of world gastronomy, namely the annual event of unveiling the Michelin Guide Spain and Portugal 2022. This year, the Auditorium of the City of Science and Arts of Valencia was the venue for this timely gastronomic ceremony. The star of the event was the famous TV actress Ana Milán, a Valencian native, who brought a touch of humor to the event, making the audience in the stands burst into laughter.

New Michelin Green Stars and Michelin Stars awarded for the 2022 Michelin Guide

Afterward, Ana Milán introduced the award-winning category for restaurants engaged in sustainable cuisine, which was considered very relevant by the Guide's organizers. Among the green star winners, there are two restaurants in Portugal and six in Spain.

The number of restaurants with a first Michelin star in Portugal was spread over four different regions of the country and, on the other hand, 27 Spanish restaurants celebrated the recognition of their first star!

Four new two-star restaurants, and those retaining three stars

With the new entries in the 2022 Guide announced, the gala was coming to an end. Four restaurants had obtained their second star in the Spanish guide, including Amelia by Paulo Airaudo (Paulo Airaudo, San Sebastián), Iván Cerceño (Iván Cerdeño, Toledo), Smoked Room (Massimiliano Delle Vedove, Madrid) and Voro (Álvaro Salazar, Mallorca). It is worth noting, with some pride, that 11 of the 130 restaurants in the world with the distinction of having three stars, are in Spain. The event ended with all the winners coming on stage for a group photo.

Spain is undoubtedly one of the countries with over 300 Michelin-starred restaurants! So if you've always dreamed of a career in gastronomy or the culinary arts, you should consider our campus in Spain. Not only will you earn an internationally recognized degree, but you can also be placed in a Michelin-starred restaurant in this beautiful country and develop your career while studying!

Take advantage of this opportunity and APPLY NOW or send us an email at admissions@pihospitalityacademy.com for more information.

3 Chefs Who Influence the Spanish Cuisine

Author: Jarya Kotyleng

A combination of originality, innovation, fresh products, and fair competition is keeping the industry on track. For some time it has seemed like France would lead the gastronomic scene indefinitely - especially in Europe. However, in Spain, a host of contemporary Michelin Star chefs have firmly established Spain's position in the culinary world.
Let's discover three of Spain's top chefs |Who have an influence on the country's gastronomy!

Chef Ferran Adrian

Any mention of modern Spanish cuisine would be bound to include the name of Ferran Adrià. He is considered to be one of the most influential chefs of the 21st century, and a pioneer of the movement referred to as "molecular gastronomy" - a concept he disagrees entirely with.

His culinary approach, as embodied in his currently closed elBulli restaurant, involves the reinvention of traditional dishes and combinations of savors in order to achieve novel tastes, sensations, and characters. Among the best creations is what is known as the spherical olive: it is an olive that resembles and tastes like an olive but feels different in the mouth.

Chef Martín Berasategui

One of the original founders of New Basque Cuisine, Martín Bersasategui commenced his career when there were no Michelin stars awarded in the Basque Country, and has since grown to become Spain's most starred chef of all time.

He was awarded his first Michelin star at his parents' restaurant at the young age of 25, and recently, among his many accomplishments, he became the first chef in Barcelona to receive three Michelin stars.

Chef Carme Ruscalleda

She is the only woman chef to have received five Michelin stars in the world. Among her restaurants are Sant Pau in Sant Pol de Mar, Moments in Barcelona as well as Sant Pau de Toquio in Tokyo.

Her culinary approach is predominantly traditional Catalan cuisine, embracing influences from all around the world. One of his best-selling books is Carme Ruscalleda's Mediterranean Cuisine.

If you are a foodie, aspiring chef, looking to earn an internationally recognized qualification in the United States or Europe, we encourage you to apply to our programs today! Not only will you be guaranteed a paid work experience in luxury hotels and restaurants in the United States and Europe but we also offer you visa-support services to ensure that you enjoy your travel as well as educational and work experience.

Get ready to become a top chef in Spain and APPLY NOW or send us an email at admissions@pihospitalityacademy.com.

Top tips To track your New Year's Resolutions

Author: Jarya Kotyleng

The beginning of a new year is the ideal time to turn a page, which is likely the reason why more people set good new year's resolutions. The start of a new year is usually perceived as a new beginning and a perfect opportunity to break bad habits and implement new routines that will allow you to thrive emotionally, physically, psychologically, mentally, or even socially. Naturally, it is much easier to set a new year's resolutions list than stick to them. However, come to the end of the first semester of the year, the majority of us will have given up on our resolutions and reverted to our old ways of doing things.

Here are some tips to help you track your New Year's resolutions this year.

Pick a precise new year's resolution

There are millions of adults every year who vow to " weight loss," " increased productivity," or " fitness" in the year ahead. One of the best ways to do this is to concentrate on a more practical goal that can be reached in a meaningful way, instead of picking a goal that is so unclear. That means you need to decide on a goal that is highly specific and feasible.

For instance, consider pledging to lose 10 kilograms, write a list of daily tasks, or start running a mini-marathon. Be careful that the goal is achievable rather than overly radical. Setting a tangible, reachable target will also allow you to schedule and plan ahead for how precisely you are going to stick to your objective throughout the year.

(New Year's resolution notepad - Image source: daily caring)

Focus on one goal at a time

Reaching a modest goal can help to reinforce your self-confidence. Instead, consider breaking down bigger goals into more manageable components and achieving them one step at a time. Similarly, According to the American Psychological Association (APA), focusing on a single habit at a time is also considered to be more effective for long-term success.

Getting involved in more than one action at a time can be overwhelming and daunting. By focusing on a precise objective, sticking to a resolution is much easier.

Develop an overall plan

One of the most important things you can do is to develop a plan. If you start pursuing a particular goal without a plan, you may quickly abandon it when you hit a roadblock. For instance, if your goal is to run four times a week, what will you do if you miss four days in a row? A good place to start is by actually writing the goal down, compiling a checklist of things that would be helpful in reaching it, and identifying any potential challenges that might be encountered in the process. With the knowledge of what you want to achieve and the potential difficulties you may encounter, the better you are prepared to follow through and overcome any challenges that may cause you to deviate from your resolution.

Baby steps lead to successful new year's resolutions

Once you've decided to run a race, begin with a couple of short sprints twice or thrice weekly. Progressively increase to more intense runs and increased number of days of exercise per week.

When attempting to become a more health-conscious eater, replace some of the less healthy foods you love with more nutritional ones. Once you've done that, address another component of your diet, including increasing the variety of vegetables, cutting back on portion sizes, and/or avoiding fried foods.

While it may appear to be a rather slow start, these gradual, small changes facilitate the sustainability of your new habits and improve your chances of long-term success.

Learn and Adjust your new year's resolutions

One of the most prevalent reasons why people break their New Year's resolutions is because they fail. Should you unexpectedly fall back into a previous pattern, do not consider it a failure. The journey to reach your goal is often uneven, and often you will encounter a few minor glitches along the way. Remember that slips and slumps are learning opportunities.

When maintaining a resolution journal, record key insights regarding the time of the setback, the factors that may have prompted it, as well as the potential things you might do better in the future. Gaining a better awareness of the difficulties you are facing means that you can deal with them more effectively in the future.

At the end of the day, this annual ritual of setting resolutions is not necessarily a yearly setback. On occasion, it is simply a question of setting the appropriate goal and using the corresponding approach to attain it. Overall, don't forget to be gracious and accommodating with yourself as well as recognize and celebrate the positive strides you're currently achieving in the process. The end goal alone is not significant, however, the progress you make along the way is the key.

Have you always dreamed of a hospitality career? It is not too late! You can take the first step toward achieving this objective by enrolling in Miami programs that will unlock the door to luxury hospitality all over the world. Are you ready? Send us an email to academic@pihospitalityacademy.com and we will be in touch soon.

5 Reasons for Studying Hospitality Management

What an interesting subject hospitality management is! It is essential to consider a successful career and therefore, you need to be practical and choose a career based on its appeal. Also, if you want a career that offers a number of opportunities, it would be great to opt for a degree that offers unlimited job opportunities. This will allow you to discover greater career opportunities as well as great benefits, mobility, and challenges. Hence the relevance of a career in the hospitality industry.

All you need is the drive and outstanding social skills to pursue a hospitality management job. If you thrive in this field, then a career in the hospitality industry will be a praiseworthy path for you. Once you do that, you will need to know which options are readily on offer in this industry. This may come as a great surprise to many of you, but it is actually true that hospitality is one of the most rapidly growing industries in the world.

In this article, you will find five reasons to study a hospitality management degree program this year!

1. Hospitality Management is a growing industry

The travel and tourism industry represented the second-fastest-growing sector in 2018, producing an estimated 10.4 percent of global economic activity. Despite the condition of the world's economy, the growth trend in the hospitality industry is not likely to decelerate. Oh, and over the coming decade, the hospitality industry is projected to be the leading global employer, making travel and tourism the provider of over 150 million jobs alone by 2029, predicted Gloria Guevara, president of the World Travel & Tourism Council.

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2. You will have the opportunity to see the world

Majoring in hospitality management or hotel management offers you the perfect opportunity to travel the world. A luxurious hotel in a metropolitan area? A beachside restaurant in an exotic location? A hospitality management qualification has the potential to take you places. On top of that, the world tour begins as soon as you enter the world of hospitality, which can take you to work just about anywhere in the world, from New York to the Santorini.

During the coming decade, the world tourist population is projected to reach 1.8 billion. Which translates to high demand for hospitality professionals around the world. The opportunities are thus infinite. You may find yourself working in Dubai, Paris, Barcelona, Qatar, Miami, Cape Town, Sydney, and any other city you can think of.

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3. You will learn essential hotel management skills

Professional skills, including leadership and teamwork, are very useful in all industries, especially the hospitality industry. To be successful as a hospitality professional, you will have to incorporate hard skills with soft skills. In other words, you will learn to be a leader rather than a follower, as well as an excellent listener. In addition, you will be trained to be flexible and able to work in a variety of departments. The soft skills you will learn will greatly benefit guest/client satisfaction, while the hard skills will be crucial to the success of an entire company.

4. You will get to meet people from all over the world and have the opportunity to improve their lives.

If management is your passion, yet you also want to connect with new people face-to-face, then hospitality is the right job for you. Every day new people will be coming and going, and those you impress the most will return from now and then to reacquaint with you. Then you will truly feel that you have made a difference in the lives of others. Best of all, you will always be learning and traveling - and when you become a hotel manager, it will be a pleasant surprise to realize the number of other hotels in which you have the opportunity to stay!

5. You will never get stuck in a routine

Hospitality management is among the friendliest and most innovative types of leadership imaginable. This is because there are numerous challenges to overcome and each day and every guest is unique and has specific new needs. While on one side, this means thinking quickly to solve problems as they arise, and on the other side, it means having the ongoing commitment to be the creative leader of your hotel's overall ambiance.

Interested in embarking on a career in the hospitality industry? Enroll now in our MBA in hospitality management in Barcelona Spain or our MBA in Hospitality Management & Innovation in Miami, and get the opportunity to travel the world, and work in some of the world’s most luxurious hotels and Michelin-starred restaurants! The world is yours: live, learn, work and enjoy!

Author: Jarya Kotyleng