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Hospitality and catering


		11-16 schools

		6th form schools

		Colleges

Examples of enterprise learning in key stage 4

Case study 1

Students were divided into groups, taken into the local town centre and given a map with a route marked for them to follow. Each group was also given a camera. During the walk they had to observe and record all the hospitality and catering outlets they passed and identify what services and products they provided. This involved the students going into some of the outlets to investigate, interview staff and collect any suitable literature. The tutor had organised a number of activities for the group to undertake in a hotel after they had completed the route: making beds, laying silver service and mixing cocktails. Back in school the groups had to mount a wall display showing the route taken and the hospitality and catering outlets passed. Information on them had to be displayed in an interesting and creative way. One group managed to produce 3-D models of the buildings and stuck them on the map. When all were displayed the students reviewed what they had learnt about the industry and the skills they had practised. Creative and design and making skills as well as team work were considered important to complete the assignments successfully.

Case study 2

On a group visit to an in-house catering team working in a large national company, the students were introduced to an ‘Opinionmeter’, which was a simple piece of equipment that stood unobtrusively in staff restaurants and deli food service areas. Customers answered questions about food and services that took about one minute to complete. The data collected was downloaded into a database, which the catering manager analysed. In a simulation of this, the students took the role of the assistant catering manager of a company in London. The brief was that a customer survey using the ‘Opinionmeter’ had been done and information (specially prepared for the students) had been downloaded ready for interpreting and evaluating. The students had the task of doing this and then preparing and giving a presentation of their findings to the head-office catering manager. After feedback from the head-office manager, the students then decided on recommendations for improving service. This activity was good for practising thinking and communication skills. The groups were also put under pressure to deliver on time.

Case study 3

An activity was specially devised for hospitality and catering students because many of them had difficulties in completing calculations. Using information from a national hotel chain, the activity aimed to help students become familiar with typical hotel and catering calculations. It was based on typical hotel’s costing and pricing of a wedding reception, which involved preparing menus to a budget, costing and pricing calculations and presenting information. The students took the role of conference and banqueting manager and had to provide detailed costing and prices for a wedding reception. They had to present the information clearly and concisely using accepted catering industry formats for written and numerical information. The event involved a wedding breakfast, drinks package, evening reception, and accommodation for the wedding party. Service charges and VAT also had to be calculated. The students made the calculations and then provided a quotation for the bride’s father and mother and a covering letter. Costing projects is an important enterprise skill, as are budgeting and financial planning.

Case study 4

Towards the end of their course a group of catering students expressed a wish to enter a national ‘FutureChef’ competition. In preparation the class tutor organised a competition in which groups of students competed against each other to prepare and cook a meal, against the clock, from a menu they had previously created and costed. They worked in groups of two or three and had two hours to prepare, cook and present a two-course meal for two people that included a starter and main course or a main course and dessert. They had £15 to spend on ingredients. Before starting the students watched videos of how TV competitors organised themselves. They were also briefed on how they would be marked. The competition was an enjoyable experience and integrated many of the key principles of food preparation and cooking. During the debrief, the students shared their experiences and analysed their strengths and weaknesses. They also made recommendations for the national competition. The competition provided opportunities for students to develop their organisational, technical and professional skills and abilities. Team working, creativity, risk taking and competition were key enterprise skills practised.

Case study 5

Nelson was not very interested in school and what it had to offer – he found it mostly boring. But there was one thing that he did enjoy and that was cooking. He first became interested when he was eight years old and within five years he had won a national competition and cooked for the day with a celebrity chef. Unfortunately his school did not offer food technology in key stage 4. However, they did find him a place on a special LEA project which enabled him to take the NVQ level 1 course in Preparing and Serving Food at the local FE college. From then on Nelson gained several qualifications. Towards the end of the course he was asked to speak at a national conference on his course and work, which he did with clarity, enthusiasm and confidence. This confidence showed through when he contacted two top-class celebrity chefs for his two-week work experience placement and gained a placement at a top British country-house hotel. He also undertook international work placements on a later course and is now doing business studies as well as catering. He has a work plan mapped out which involves working with a top London hotel before opening his own restaurant. Nelson is an entrepreneur in the making with his ambition, ‘can do’ approach, commitment and self-reliance.

Case study 6

A student completed a two-week work experience in a large hotel with conference and banqueting centres. He had experience of working in several areas including reception, lounge service and conference events. He worked with different staff and had opportunities to meet and speak to hotel guests and delegates. He was given experience of explaining to and directing guests, answering queries, dealing with difficult situations, handling complaints and working in most areas of the hotel. When he returned to school one of his assignments for his hospitality and catering course was to prepare a training pack for future work experience students who went on similar placements. He knew of this before he went on his placement and so was able to obtain relevant information and interview staff. He was able to use examples of training materials, notes of interviews with personnel and training staff, staff handbooks, the internet and industry journals and newsletters as well as his own experiences. He decided to make the pack interesting by including photographs and personal comments on what to expect. The project enabled him to demonstrate his creative, design and organisational skills, communication and research skills, and the ability to finish a task

Case study 7

A group of key stage 4 hospitality and catering students visited a leading national crisp manufacturer. They were taken on a tour of the production line and given a short presentation on the marketing of crisps. When they returned to school the class was set the challenge of producing ideas for a new range of flavoured crisps and new packaging to reflect the latest trends. Working in small groups they researched possible new flavours, conducted a survey of friends and relatives to find out their likes and dislikes and then made a decision on which flavours to promote and the reason why. They made examples of the packaging before giving a presentation on their product range, describing the new flavours and why they were a good buy. Each presentation received feedback from the rest of the class on their ‘product’ and how well they had sold it. Such marketing and selling skills are important elements of enterprise learning.

Case study 8

For a generic assignment for level 1 key skill Working with Others, key stage 4 students on morning release to an FE college were expected to work together to plan and organise an event. The group started by discussing the event and what points to consider when organising it. Working in pairs they searched the internet for recipes and ideas. As a group they decided to plan and organise a Caribbean luncheon. They practised making cocktails using non-alcoholic ingredients. They discussed how preparations were progressing and reviewed their recipes, before ordering the food. They then made some trial dishes, which they evaluated. Finally the big day arrived; the ingredients were checked, dishes prepared and the restaurant made ready. The customers were served and everything was cleared down after service. The final action was a group debriefing to discuss the event and find out what had been learned. This is a frequently undertaken hospitality and catering activity that can be used to support enterprise knowledge and understanding and enterprise skills, for example, team work, personal effectiveness, decision making, design and make and organisation. Commitment, responsibility and a ‘can do’ attitude are also important.