IFT, École hôtelière de Lausanne hold F&B program

Macau’s Institute for Tourism Studies (IFT) and École hôtelière de Lausanne hosted an executive development program on food and beverage (F&B) this week, exploring what makes a successful concept in the sector and how organizations can develop sustainably.

The two-day course, which ended yesterday, attracted 17 professionals from hotels and integrated resorts, according to IFT.

The food and beverage industry is sometimes considered one of the toughest trades in the hospitality industry, with organizations required to balance tight margins, heavy staff costs, large startup costs and manage the ever-changing tastes of customers.

Through the program, participants learned how to develop food and beverage concepts, how to anticipate operational complications and understand the importance of technical planning and back-of-house optimization.

Olivier Verschelde, from Lausanne Hospitality Consulting, which is an Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne subsidiary, facilitated the program.

Verschelde graduated from Ecole hotelière de Lausanne in 2003 and has been building his knowledge of operations in the hospitality industry ever since. He has been involved in managing a boutique hotel and a spa project near Paris, and has taken the lead in the establishment of several food and beverage outlets from conceptualization to operation.

In a statement issued by IFT yesterday, the education institution said that it is striving to constantly update the local tourism sector with the most up-to-date information and research, which will aid hotel management staff to cope with ever-changing market trends.