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. 

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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. 

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.

Discover our MBA in Hospitality Management & Innovation in Miami

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. 

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

A cover letter, also known as a motivational letter, is the first impression we give when applying for a job. It is a one-page letter written to the person or organization offering the position you're applying for. A well-written cover letter should introduce you and encourage the person reading it to take a look at your resume as well.

Cover letters help employers, screen candidates, to see how interested, passionate, and knowledgeable you are about the position or industry. If your cover letter impresses, the recruiter will spend time reading your CV, which could end up landing you an interview for your dream job. If you would like to get some tips on how to write a good CV have a look here.

Back to the topic in question - so I'm assuming that you want to give that perfect first impression but maybe you are not sure yet how to write a cover letter like that, then don’t worry and just keep reading as we will show you step by step.

Even though every cover letter should be tailored for the job that you are applying for, there are a few things all of them should include.

Things to Keep in Mind to Write a Good Cover Letter

1. Always write a cover letter. Even if the company doesn’t ask for a letter in the job description, it doesn't hurt to include one anyway. It shows that you are really interested and are willing to put the extra effort in it.
2. Make sure it differs from your CV. The purpose of a cover letter is to catch the eye. Use it to draw attention to the specific skills and experiences that make you the perfect candidate for the job.
3. Show that you did your research. A personalized letter demonstrates that you know about the company you are applying for. Find some insights about the company that you are applying for and integrate them in to the body of your letter.
4. Tailor it to the job you are applying to. Match your qualities with the values and mission of the company. Also, try to back up your experiences with solid examples.
5. Keep it short, clean, and straight to the point. The world count should be around 250-300 words. After you’re done writing it, proofread everything to make sure there are no spelling and grammar mistakes. 

Now you should know everything in order to write the perfect cover letter! If you should still need help finding the right internship in hospitality then reach out to us!

It's never too late to make your dreams come true, start your journey in the hospitality industry by sending a message to admissions@pihospitalityacademy.com and we will contact you soon.

Can’t wait to get your WORK and STUDY in the USA or SPAIN?  APPLY TO OUR PROGRAMS TODAY! 

Author: Jarya Kotyleng & Leonie Wandelt

Author: Jarya Kotyleng & Chris Robinson

Knowing how to write a good CV is one of the first steps you need to follow to get hired and land the job of your dreams! Curriculum Vitae, or ‘the course of your life in Latin, is a structured overview of your life and a must when applying for work, as it is a standardized tool employers use to screen candidates - potential employees. A good CV will not only stand out, but it might also increase your chances of getting invited for an interview or even hired. Here are 5 tips on how to make yours perfect.

The right structure and formatting

On average a recruiter spends 30 seconds on a CV, scanning through hundreds of CVs every day. So how you visually present your skills matters.

• Font of the text should not be bigger than 11 or 12, and the sentences are best kept short and simple.
• Don’t take up too much space - a good CV should not be longer than two A4 pages, preferably - only one.
• There is probably nothing worse than finding spelling or grammar mistakes in a CV, especially if you are applying for a position with foreign language which you state to be proficient in. Triple-check your CV after you are done writing it and give it to a friend to look through once again to be sure.
• The title of your CV should be your Name and Surname, don’t include such words as ‘CV’ or ‘Curriculum Vitae’. 

Be honest & keep it real

Even though lying on a CV is quite a common practice, you will be in big trouble if you get caught (yes, even if it’s a white lie, so don’t even say you’re proficient in excel if you are not). Keep it real, show off your best traits and skills, but do not get too honest, and don’t include any negative information or bad experiences you have had career-wise.

The right content and context

No matter how good the CV looks from the outside, the content of it is what truly matters and when good content is wrapped in the right context, you are guaranteed to succeed. Keeping in mind the position you are applying for, show off your education (seminars, certificates, awards included) and key skills which will help you excel at the job, and most importantly - state your experience in terms of achievements rather than responsibilities, though include those as well.

Personal statement

A personal statement is a separate section at the beginning of your CV with your name, professional title, and contact details. It can also include a short description of who you are and what your career objective is. In short, it is there to show how your experience relates to the job you are applying for and what you can offer to the company.

Keep it up to date

A CV should not be written in stone but updated and adjusted as time goes by and your life cycle as well as positions you are applying for change. For example, as you acquire new experience, include only the most recent or relevant one for the position you are applying for.

Want to improve your resume, both in terms of the writing and the experience it includes? At Hospitality Academy, we are dedicated to helping you prepare for the workplace by empowering you with the right education, paid work experience at top luxury hotels and restaurants, and have career coaching specialists to help you prepare for your next job.

It's never too late to make your dreams come true, start your journey in the hospitality industry by sending a message to academy@pihospitalityacademy.com and we will contact you soon.

Author: Jarya Kotyleng & Chris Robinson

Deciding to study abroad is a long process and one that can be very daunting for potentially globe-trotting students. One of the reasons why this choice is so intimidating is the great number of options that we have when it comes to choosing! Now that the global travel industry has become so advanced, we have the world at our fingertips, and this can make choosing just one country to settle on a very difficult process. Well not to worry, I am here to help! Today I will be explaining to you why you should study in Spain, a country that I moved to two years ago myself and never looked back!

1. Studying abroad can boost your career prospects 

Now, let’s begin with the obvious: Studying abroad is great! Ever since traveling abroad became an option, students across the world have opted to pack up their textbooks and take their education elsewhere. While many do this for fun, adventure or to just generally “find themselves”, many choose because it can make a meaningful difference in their career. 

While the advantages of studying abroad often come to be more anecdotal and opinion-based, there is a large amount of research done on this. Studying abroad can make a noticeable boost to your career, both by looking at the employability statistics and the overall consensus of students who have taken part in such programs. Out of the sample of students in the study, those who took part in study abroad programs had a whopping 24% higher chance of finding employment post-university. Interestingly, the study found that this difference was most pronounced among students who came from a more disadvantaged background. The reason for this is that students from this type of background would be able to gain a large range of skills during their placement that they wouldn’t normally have access to (e.g. intercultural competence, global awareness, foreign language skills).

Therefore if you think you could use a boost of these types of skills to your resume, a study abroad program is the way to go! However, this does not mean that you should pack up your things and move to the next country that catches your eye. When choosing a location to study, you should always try to find a country that either matches (or preferably improves upon) your home country’s standards of education.

Accordingly, as a founding member of the EHEA, the Spanish government has set itself to the highest standards expected of European education, and boasts one of the highest populations of international students in the world!

2. Spanish is the language to learn in 2022

So we have established that studying abroad is great, now why should you do it in Spain? Let’s start with the language: the official language here is Spanish. Aside from being considered one of the most beautiful languages in the world, Spanish is also on the rise to becoming the most useful for your career. Currently, Spanish is the second most natively spoken language in the world and the fourth most widely spoken language overall. With the majority of Latin America speaking Spanish, multiple European countries, and even a sizable portion of the USA, Spanish has comfortably secured its position as a titan of business language.

Anyone who has Spanish on their resume can expect a huge step up from the rest of the crowd. As the birthplace of this globe-trotting language, Spain is the perfect place to learn Spanish! With a language school on almost every corner of the main cities, a friendly population who will forgive your linguistic mistakes, and neighborhoods just begging to be explored, you could not ask for a better classroom! Within a few months, you will be able to ditch the language dictionaries and order your Tapas and Sangria solo in no time, which brings us to our third reason for studying in Spain. 

3. Food, Fun, and Festivals!

The 3 F’s make Spain such an amazing country to live in! One could spend hours and multiple blog posts as to why Spanish culture is truly incredible, but I am going to restrain myself and try to sum it up. Let’s start with food.

Food in Spain is not only a meal but an experience! In any city or town in Spain, you will be able to see groups of friends and families enjoying their food outside in the sun. No trip to Spain (or even Europe!) could be complete without sampling the Spanish way of dining and at the forefront of this are tapas. For those who don’t know: tapas are small dishes of food to be shared with a group of friends, often with a beer, wine, or sangria.

Generally, a group would order a couple of plates each and the members at the table would help themselves (if you don’t like sharing, then this might not be for you!) before making their way to the next stop to sample more. Aside from tapas, there are numerous culinary options for the hungry traveler to choose from and each region of Spain has its unique style of cuisine.

From the decadent little pintxos (one-bite snacks, similar to tapas) of Catalunya to the simple but delicious Bocadillos de Calamares (baguettes stuffed with golden brown fried squid rings) of Madrid, you will never run out of things to try when in Spain! Speaking of trying new things, Spain has some of the most unique street festivals in the world for the fun-loving ex-pats reading this article.

Here is just a few of the more famous examples: Feria de Sevilla (Sevilla): In what can only be described as an explosion of Spanish culture, La Feria de Sevilla is a yearly festival in April celebrating the beginning of Spring. Filled with music, flamenco, and extravagant dresses, it’s a must-see for anyone in Andalusia (South of Spain).La Tomatina (Valencia): No one can speak about Spanish festivities without mentioning La Tomatina!

A festival in the little town of Buñol outside of Valencia, involving thousands of strangers pelting each other with tomatoes, what a glorious time of the year!Festes Major (Barcelona): This is a collection of festivals that happen all across August in the various neighborhoods of Barcelona.

The most famous of which is in Gracia, an already beautiful neighborhood, which becomes transformed into a multicolored paradise of the senses during the festas, as each street competes to be the most impressive using elaborate displays of cardboard and paper-mache. You can see what I mean in the video below!

4. Spain: Living in Europe for beginners!

Another reason why we should all love Spain is that it is so easy to live here! It is a perfect combination of the accessibility and development of Western Europe without the obscenely high costs of living it’s famous for. Spain is, by all definitions of the word, a very developed country, meaning you can expect to live very comfortably within it. With a robust transportation system, universal and high-quality healthcare, and a wide range of commercial outlets, it is very unlikely that you will be left wanting more, no matter where you live in Spain.

In addition to its high availability of services, Spain is (for the most part) very cheap in comparison to its neighbors. While it’s hard to give you an accurate monthly budget of the country (as the price of goods varies greatly from the cheaper South to the more expensive North). I have taken the liberty of comparing the average price of a meal (a fairly universal unit of measurement in my opinion) in Spain’s capital, Madrid, with some of its neighbors using the cost of living calculator Numbeo

While most of us do need much more than restaurants to survive in a country, you will see that in most aspects, Spain ranks much lower in costs in comparison to other countries of similar economic status. 

5. One of the global capitals of hospitality 

Now we have seen how amazing Spain is, it should come as no surprise that it attracts a large number of tourists every year. In fact, according to the UN World Tourism Organization, Spain was the second most visited country of 2018, earning 74 billion USD in revenue in the calendar year. With so much money going into it, the tourism industry of Spain requires a lot of workers to maintain and the hotels are always looking towards the domestic universities for their recruitment.

On this note, Through this school, Hospitality Academy you will be able to get an accredited qualification and take part in paid work in Spain without having to worry about the visa, how?

Well, through the allowances of the Spanish student visa, international students can obtain traineeships in the country without applying for a separate visa. If you wish to remain in the country after completing your studies, you will be able to apply for a residency visa if you have stayed in the country long enough.

So if you are wishing to gain a hospitality career in Europe, Spain may be the best choice for you. Grab this opportunity and enroll in a program here to start your Spanish hospitality adventure!

Thinking of becoming a chef and entering the world of good 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.

“Top Chefs start most days with some activity”

Working as a Chef often means working inside a kitchen until late at night daily, which is why it is important to start your mornings with something that takes your mind off of it - 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 say. “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, 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 so it is 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 for 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 for 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 a food lover who is aspiring to become a chef and earn an internationally recognized hospitality qualification in the United States or Europe, you can start your hospitality journey by registering with us.  Start the upcoming year on the right foot, apply now by sending an email to academy@pihospitalityacademy.com! 

Sushi, Pizza, and Tacos, we are all familiar with these tasty global delicacies. But let us broaden our food horizons and explore some of the more unknown, but equally (if not more) delicious cuisines of the world!  We bring to you a delightful, spicy, and flavorful compilation of 3 of the most delicious world cuisines you should consider trying before the end of the year!

1. Middle Eastern/Oriental Cuisine

If the first thing that springs to mind when you think of Middle Eastern food is Hummus, you are not wrong! We love hummus, but there are so many more delightful and delectable dishes than just Hummus! Ranging from the Persian delicacy Tahdig to Syrian stuffed vegetables Mahshi and Kuwaiti Quwarmah Al Bajaj, there is something for everyone to try and enjoy!

Here are some of our favorites:

• Dolma - stuffed vine leaves. Depending on the region, these tasty starters can include nuts, rice, fruits, onion, and even lamb. The perfect finger food!
• Tabbouleh - A finely chopped, fresh Lebanese salad with parsley, tomatoes, Bulgur wheat, mint, onion, lemon juice, and olive oil. A fresh and zesty salad, perfect for hot summer days!
• Moutabal and Baba Gannouj - Both the Moutabal and Baba Gannouj revolve around the same vibrant purple vegetable, the eggplant. They both include smoked eggplant and either yogurt and tahini or molasses and pomegranate. 
• Manakeesh - is a Middle Eastern pizza, originating from Lebanon. Flatbread or dough served with cheese, za’atar spice, or meat. This treat can be folded, sliced, and snacked on any occasion!
• Baklawa - These sweets are made from hundreds of layers of dainty pastry and are flavored with nuts, syrups, and honey. Often you can find platters of these beautifully arranged sweets at the end of any dinner.  

2. Vietnamese

Vietnamese cuisine centralizes around healthy meals which are full of herbs and flavor. Ingredients used are fresh, natural Vietnamese cuisine that has inspiration from neighboring countries such as Thailand, China, Laos, and Cambodia, and remnants of French colonialism, which have all formed the distinct cuisine. 

4 Vietnamese dishes you should consider trying: 

• Pho - The national dish of Vietnam. Pho is famous for its rich chicken or meat broth flavored with zesty ginger and coriander served with rice noodles, and meat, with aromatic spring onion and greens. 
• Goi Cuon - These transparent rice paper spring rolls are filled with mint, coriander, shrimp, or minced pork. They are delicious and fresh appetizers to start any meal and are even tastier when dipped in a rich peanut sauce.
• Banh mi - Inspired by the french, this sandwich-based snack has a base of baguette, filled with pork, pate, or beef and an array of fresh vegetables. The perfect street food snack!
• Banh Xeo - Are Vietnamese-style sizzling pancakes containing shrimp, pork, and vegetables, dipped in a delightful fish sauce (nuoc cham).

3. South Korean

South Korean cuisine has also been gaining popularity in recent years. Korean cuisine, much like the Middle Eastern, is centered around tradition and recipes passed on through the generations. Korean cuisine showcases some of the best stews, meats, noodles, and fermentation techniques. Something is sure, this cuisine is delicious and flavorsome!

Let’s look into a few dishes we recommend you to try: 

• Bibimbap - This is a bowl of colorful mixed ingredients such as rice, vegetables, mushrooms, sauce, meat and is famous for its centerpiece an egg: sometimes fried, other times raw.
• Gogigui - known as the Korean BBQ, is not just a meal, but a full-on dining experience. This meal includes cooking your selection of meats and vegetables over a grill built into the center of your table. 
• Kimchi - Don’t let the sound of pickled, spicy, fermented cabbage scare you. This is one of the most traditional and delicious dishes that Korean cuisine has to offer. Kimchi comes with nearly every dish you receive in Korea, so make sure to indulge.
• Japchae - A delicious, traditional stir fry noodle dish made from sweet potato glass noodles. Famous for its sweet and savory taste, each chef has their unique spin on this dish!

There we have it, the 3 delicious world cuisines you should try before 2022. Which one are you the most excited to try out? 

If you are a food lover and aspire to become a chef or a culinary expert, you can start your hospitality journey by registering with us.  Start the upcoming year on the right foot, apply now by sending an email to academy@pihospitalityacademy.com!