THE dream of a two week overseas fine dining and cooking experience will become a reality for a group of Marsden State High School students.
More than 30 students will take part in a trip organised through the school, Flight Centre and Contiki for two weeks in September.
Students will stay overnight in three to four star hotels in every city they visit including countries such as Italy and France.
Marsden State High School hospitality teacher Michael Beohm said this would open the student’s eyes to potential career pathways outside school.
“The idea is to show students how hospitality can operate on a global field and also what opportunities are out there,” he said.
“We don’t get to expose the kids to the Gold Coast or Brisbane as much as we could, so if we can take them from here to Florence and Rome and beyond they will experience some of the best hospitality in the world.
“Every morning the aim is for the hotel manager or CEO of the hotel they are staying at will come and talk to the kids about hotel operations - what they look for in staff, why it might be a good idea to work overseas and why would you learn another language.”
Some of the experiences awaiting students include a pasta making course in Rome and learning from an experienced chef in Tuscany.
Students will undergo a ten week French and Italian language workshop to help adjust to the foreign culture.
Mr Beohm said the students would also get to enjoy the comforts of world class hospitality as well.
“They are going to really cool restaurants every night, they will sit down for a proper restaurant meal and they will experience fine dining,” he said.
“They will literally come back understanding what hospitality could be like and that five star opportunity with the idea of working for Contiki or a tour group and taking someone on a holiday everyday.”
Year 11 student Joni Takai and Rachel Stephens (year 12) said they were looking forward to visiting France and checking out the gelato shops.
