The Institute of Tourism Studies' (IFT) first batch of Culinary Arts Management undergraduates hosted a luncheon event at their Michelin-recommended restaurant as a graduation project in April, and are now preparing to join the city's bustling restaurant scene.

The class of 24 students was divided into two groups, with each tasked to prepare a luncheon event from scratch for around 120 paying customers in all. The Institute for Tourism Studies' Bachelor Degree Programme, which emphasises the balance of theory and practice, requires students to complete hundreds of hours of practical tasks related to their specialisation every year in addition to their studies.

The programme co-ordinator, Invited Assistant Professor Dr. Mark Gibson, said the first batch of students from the Culinary Arts Management course is ready for a successful entry into the job market: “A lot of the students have applied for many of the jobs in the local hotel and restaurant market,” he said. “They're very well placed to go straight in at a very good level, at Commis Chef 1. That saves them maybe two or three years of on-the-job training.”

The Culinary Arts Management Bachelor degree programme was launched in academic year 2011/2012 and offers 24 places each year. The curriculum not only covers chef training but a wide range of resources during their four years of study, from access to top-notch equipment to field trips and cooking demonstrations by prestigious chefs. The programme has proven to be highly popular, with all intake classes largely oversubscribed. “We need to make sure that the programme is relevant to the market, and we've got to keep abreast of the industry,” said Dr. Gibson.

IFT is the only public higher education institution in Macau that specialises in cultivating talent for the many aspects of the tourism and service industry, and endeavours to equip students with professional knowledge and technical competence in preparation for their future leadership responsibilities in the industry.