The hotel management industry is a dynamic field. The graduates of Hotel Management Education can fill in the shoes of a variety of positions. This implies that graduates of this industry are never refrained from a promising career.

To cater to this prolific field of education, it is essential for students to opt only for the finest of education providers who can add to their already presented benefits. Such education providers can facilitate superlative pedagogical resources which boost the raw talents of the students, in turn establishing them as competent assets to any association they join.

Krystal School of Excellence Foundation (KSEF) is one such hotel management education provider founded in 2015 to facilitate more opportunities for individuals who aspire to join the Hospitality industry.

The institute’s vision is to contribute to the world of hospitality by providing excellent education and training to create a niche for Hospitality Professionals.

The mission of Krystal School of Excellence Foundation is to provide value-based learning and skill development, which helps the youth to take their career forward in the field of hospitality.

Enhancing Hospitality Sector

The Krystal Group started its journey in the year 1994 with Krystal Chopstick, which continues to be a very popular fine-dining restaurant in Kolkata. The group expanded with the addition of another restaurant serving authentic Bengali cuisine- Tero Parbon- a well-known name serving authentic Bengali delicacies in the city of Kolkata.

The succeeding addition was a result of the group’s efforts to provide Kolkata with comfortable yet reasonably priced accommodation- Wise Owl Comfotel, established in 2009. It is located at a prime location in the city and attracts guests travelling for both leisure and business.

2012 saw the establishment of Wise Owl The Coffee Shop- at a time when cafes were not very prevalent in the city of joy. The coffee shop has been a popular coffee destination for years, serving some great beverages and continental dishes.

The Wise Owl Steakhouse, established shortly afterwards, gave the meat lovers of Kolkata a place to enjoy various cuts of steak that were previously a privilege to only those travelling to the West.

The latest inclusion in the Krystal Group is Charcoal by Wise Owl- a venture serving northwest frontier cuisine- yet another offering that is unique to Kolkata.

Besides the plethora of eateries, each serving different cuisines, the Krystal Group also established an eco-resort cum homestay- Rare Earth Farms and Homestay. It is located in the natural setting of Shantiniketan, a short distance from Visva Bharati University. It is an initiative to sustain Rare Earth Foundation, a non-profit organization working for the development of the local tribal people.

In the future, the group hopes to be able to offer many more such projects to cater to a wider variety of culinary interests. As far as Hotel Management Institute is concerned, it is aiming to establish more branches across the country.

Flawless Leadership

The Managing Trustee and Academic Head, Ms Siddhika Ghose Chaudhuri, is an accomplished academic administrator and an ardent hospitality entrepreneur with ten years of experience in the fields of hospitality and education. Her combined skills in education, marketing and entrepreneurship have successfully created enthusiastic hospitality professionals. She is also a gold medallist in academics and has won several awards in the field of hospitality.

The CEO and Administrative Head, Mr Chowdhry Md Talib, is a dynamic hospitality entrepreneur and consultant with a noteworthy background in the hospitality industry of India and abroad. He has been associated with several hotels and restaurants in India and Canada alike. Based on his vision, guidance and leadership, KSEF has come a long way in providing aspirants with an international standard of hospitality education.

Perfect Amalgamation of Theory and Practical

The hospitality industry is one of the top sectors. It accounts for more than eight per cent of India’s liveware, and KSEF understands the importance of imparting holistic education to equip students of all age groups and ethnolinguistic backgrounds to pursue their ambitions of being successful hoteliers in India but also abroad. The courses are designed to cater to varied interests and are a perfect amalgamation of theory and practice. Regular master classes are also organized by the in-house instructors as well as eminent guest faculties.

Students not only learn the subjects specific to hospitality management but are taught Soft Skills, Information Technology, Event Management, Entrepreneurship, Marketing, French and more- all integral to creating versatile future leaders. Additionally, the five in-house restaurants (Wise Owl The Coffee Shop, Charcoal by Wise Owl, The Wise Owl Steakhouse, Krystal Chopstick, Tero Parbon), a boutique hotel (The Wise Owl Comfotel) and eco-resort (Rare Earth eco-resort cum Homestay) under the Krystal Group are utilized to provide hands-on practical exposure to the students.

Spreading Wings across Nations

The institute places a lot of importance on discipline, striving to inculcate it in every student in the forms of grooming, punctuality, participation, leadership roles and more. KSEF also prides itself in its 100 per cent placement record, where students not only serve the industry in India but also spread their wings across other nations like the USA, Dubai, Mauritius, Canada and more. Some of the renowned hotels where its students are working currently are as follows:

• Maritim Resort & Spa Mauritius
• Broadmoor Colorado Springs, USA
• The Casa Marina Waldorf Astoria Resort, USA
• Sonnenalp, USA
• Cherry Hills Country Club, USA
• Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, USA
• The Broken Sound Club, USA
• Novotel, Kolkata
• Coorg Wilderness Resort Madikeri, India
• Leela Palace India
• JW Marriott Dubai, UAE
• The Erth Abu Dhabi, UAE
• ITC Royal Bengal, Kolkata
• Fairfield by Marriott, Kolkata
• Hyatt Regency, Kolkata
• Grand Mercure, Bangalore
• Radisson, Bangalore
• Raffles, Udaipur
• Oberoi Amar villas, Agra
• Taj Exotica, Goa
• Taj Connemara, Chennai
• Fairmont, Jaipur
• Taj Rambagh Palace, Jaipur

Standing Tall Against the Setbacks

The COVID-19 pandemic, followed by the nationwide lockdown, had been a significant setback in the journey of KSEF. KSEF welcomes students from across the country every year, and with the rapid spread of the virus, there were strong constraints on travel leading to a reduced number of new entrants.

Furthermore, providing online classes to students stuck in different parts of the country was also quite a challenge. However, the college continued with as many new entrants as it received and was also able to conduct regular classes aided by able management, faculty body and systematic planning. Online classes were conducted on zoom, wherein classes were recorded and shared with students unable to attend classes due to technical hindrances. On-campus practical classes were arranged with topmost priority given to safety and hygiene. Together, the school overcame the challenge.

Allowing Students to Indulge in their Areas of interest

Apart from academics, KSEF provides ample opportunities for students to indulge in their other areas of interest. The college has five extracurricular clubs- Rhythm (Dance, Music & Drama club), Picturesque (Art, Craft and Photography club), Impact (Elocution & Quiz), Wanderers (Travel & Tourism club) and New Wave (Social and Community Work Club)- each promoting specific sets of interests, and each month these clubs organize events ranging from cultural through altruistic, to art & craft and more.

KSEF organizes an annual college fest, ‘KOMET,’ to showcase various talents among the students. KSEF also actively promotes sports activities by organizing cricket, football, badminton tournaments and more. It also has indoor sports competitions like chess, carrom, etc. Special training sessions on yoga, meditation, photography etc., are organized from time to time. Events related to creating awareness about different causes are also arranged.

Different festivals are also celebrated in the institute to instil cultural awareness and unite the students who may be divided by geographical constraints, religions or cultures. There is always something for each student.

Appropriate Use of Experimental Learning

A well-integrated, well-designed experiential learning curriculum in hospitality management is both academically and practically worthwhile. Hospitality management programs have increasingly emphasised ‘soft skills’ such as communication, teamwork, and time management. Experiential learning approaches have been demonstrated to enhance these skills effectively in students. Therefore, greater adoption of these approaches further fosters the employability of graduates of these programs. The practical knowledge acquired by students at their experiential learning placement impacts their classroom experience.

Beyond the classroom, the institute offers a unique approach to teaching and learning, which involves the students being exposed to real-life situations and experiences to facilitate practical learning.

The college organizes a visit to its Eco-resort cum homestay (Rare Earth Farms and Homestay), where the students learn various aspects of hospitality like outdoor catering, high tea service, open-fire cooking and more.

Events like Fine Dining, Cafeteria Management and more allow its students to host guests from the industry and beyond budgeting; purchase, menu planning, décor, cooking, baking, service, closing etc., are also handled solely by the students. The institute believes that such exposure equips students with the devices required to face any situation in their careers.

Extended Curriculum

Along with the three years advanced diploma course that teaches the students about all four major departments of the hotel industry, there are several other diploma courses too that enable learners to explore and specialize in their specific areas of interest.

For instance, the Diploma in Culinary Arts caters to those interested in a career in cooking and wish to become culinary chefs, the Diploma in Bakery and Patisserie is designed for students who take an interest in bakery, confectionery and patisserie, while the Dual Diploma in Culinary Arts, Bakery and Patisserie caters to students who take an interest in both the art of cooking and baking.

There is also a Diploma in Hotel and Hospitality Management that teaches students about all the different departments of the Hotel Industry, barring the kitchen department. Furthermore, these diploma courses are perfect for professionals as the age limit to pursue these are extended, and the curriculum is designed in a manner that individuals who want to change their career or wish to become an entrepreneur in the field of their interest would be able to pursue the courses without limitations.

Pursuing Dreams with Eastern India’s Biggest Training Institute

The Hospitality Industry is constantly in flux, consistently growing to provide incredible career opportunities to deserving individuals every year. Hospitality leaders are constantly shattering the stereotypes surrounding the industry.

So, the institute urges all enthusiastic aspirants to take the first right step towards the career of their choice with it, eastern India’s most prominent training institute. The industry provides a fun and challenging work environment, allows travel and work in cities around the globe and exposes employees to a diverse range of people and cultures. So, if anyone has the right amount of passion and dedication, the institute will provide them with all it takes to land their dream careers.

Incorporating Modern Day Facilities

KSEF has come a long way, starting the journey with a handful of students to several students placed all over the world pursuing their dreams through it. It is working daily to improve its infrastructure and incorporate the best modern-day facilities and technologies.

In the near future, it aims to establish branches in other cities to be able to provide top-tier hospitality education to more students around the country.

The post Krystal School of Excellence Foundation, Kolkata: Exemplar of Superlative Hotel Management Education appeared first on The Knowledge Review.