BBA in Tourism, Hotel Management and Operations students serve up elegance

After a semester and a half of learning the basics of operations, culinary arts, and restaurant and service management, the inaugural cohort of the new four year Bachelor of Business Administration in Tourism, Hotel Management and Operations had their first major test this week – serving a four course meal to a high profile group of attendees.

The first year students performed exceedingly well under pressure – in addition to serving Program Area Director Hotel Operations, Florian Aubke, MU’s president Karl Wöber and Managing Director Christian Hoffman, MU Advisory Board member Martina Maly, President of Tourism College MODUL Werner Schnabl, Gabriele Führer, Director of Foreign Trade, Vienna Chamber of Commerce and Industry, MU Professor Andreas Zins, and Dagmar Lund-Durlacher, Dean of the undergraduate school, were in attendance.

Dr. Aubke on their performance: ‘’ I am pleased with the professionalism the students have shown during the dinner event. The exquisite food and high-level service has surprised all guests. Most importantly, it was obvious that the students enjoyed staging the event.’’

The 13 students were split into two groups, one who completed serving duties, from the welcome drink through the four course meal to the digestif, and the other in the kitchen hard at work preparing the masterful meal. The setting was delightfully elegant: a banquet table strewn with flower petals, menus presented as scrolls, all crowned by a pair of flickering candelabras.

The idea behind the evening was ‘Austria meets Italy’, serving an Italian dinner accompanied by Austrian Wines from local Vienna vineyard Wieninger. Beginning with an appetizer of assorted antipasto, they continued with a delicate minestrone with the high point being ‘Saltimbocca alla Romana’, tender veal steaks crowned with sage and crispy prosciutto, accompanied by a creamy risotto. Not to be outdone by the main course, a trifecta of sweet treats finished off the meal - a rich tiramisu, deliciously fruity mango ice cream, and strawberries flambéed on site in cognac and Grand Marnier.

Congratulations to our students on their excellent performance!