A Dazzling Opening Party for International Wine Competition

This semester, the client for the World of Hospitality signature event was Concours Mondial de Bruxelles – the event, their official opening party.

Hosted in Leysin’s Mont Blanc Palace, the World of Hospitality is an opportunity for SHMS students to apply the skills they learned in the classroom into a real-life scenario. Industry guests, local residents and VIPs are invited to enjoy local cuisine and entertainment inspired from around the world.

It’s amazing to see them show such professionalism at this age.

The Concours Mondial de Bruxelles is a renowned international wine competition held annually since 1994. Originating in Belgium, it is one of the most recognized wine competitions and is respected globally by the industry and consumers. The Concours Mondial de Bruxelles visits different wine-producing countries every year and this year the town of Aigle was chosen to host the competition. From May 2 to 5, 2019, more than 330 wine professionals, majority of whom are journalists, will sample and judge over 9'000 international wines – a record participation for the competition.

Over 100 students were involved in the opening ceremony – more than 30 student volunteers and 77 students from the Bachelor of Arts (third year) and Post Graduate Diploma programs, who were being graded and evaluated on how well they executed the welcome party.

Thomas Costenoble, Director of the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, gave a chapeau to the students, stating that he was, “truly impressed by everything they did; from the logistics and flow of the event, to the service, the food and the entertainment provided. It’s amazing to see them show such professionalism at this age and I can only imagine the bright futures that awaits them when they step into the working world.”

In an event designed to indulge all the senses, students took their guests on a journey through Switzerland. To complete the night, a myriad of traditional performances and virtual reality animations delighted everyone and finally, a chocolate workshop and an exquisite buffet of local specialties offered guests of The Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, a real taste of Switzerland.

The tutors are here to guide and advise them throughout the process, but it remains wholly their event.

“We strive to place our students in a real-world environment and such events are great opportunities for them to apply what they have learned in the classroom. This challenge-based learning approach gives them the responsibility of setting up an event, respecting a budget and making all managerial decisions that lead to the execution of an event for real clients and guests. The tutors are here to guide and advise them throughout the process, but it remains wholly their event," explained Eric Debatz, a lecturer at SHMS.

In addition to the opening ceremony, SHMS students will also be providing hospitality services during the 3-day competition in Aigle, Swizerland. For 3 days, students from the school’s postgraduate and masters programs will be in Aigle catering to every need of the tasting tables for the jury members, who come from over 43 different countries.

Andrea Leuenberger, SHMS Program Manager, said proudly, “These students are uniquely qualified for the task, as they specialize in the operational part of hospitality with a focus on planning, organizing and delivering flawless service. Taking part in the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles gives students yet another opportunity to manage the complexities of large scale events."