The First Catering Course: The Birth of ITS
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December 21, 2024
International PR & Marketing Diary Newsletter: A Gateway to VisitMalta’s Global Tourism
December 24, 2024It was the 21st September 1964 when Malta became Independent from Britian. Several media houses sent their journalists to Malta to cover this historic event.
This inevitably brought the need as to where to accommodate these journalists, so the administration at the time came up with a proposal - to set up the St Michael’s Training College as a hotel. Mr & Mrs Charles Watkins were appointed to organise the college with a hotel environment and train the necessary staff to manage the operation.
This was the beginning of what is now called The Institute of Tourism Studies (ITS). Following this encounter, in February 1965, the Minister of Education set up further the training for chef de rangs (waiters) at the Msida Catering School, still under the guidance of Mr and Mrs Charles Watkins.
Chefs from Malta Hilton and the Casino Dragonara used to come to give us Silver Service environment and prepared food to serve to guests who occasionally visited the Msida Catering School.
This course trained 29 waiters - most of them continued in the field whilst others acquired further experience and moved on in the Hotel and Catering Industry, with a successful career holding managerial positions, which was an asset for the economy of Malta, and still is.
In 1966 we saw the enrolment of young men and women embarking on a Diploma Course which was carried out at MCAST, Malta Collage of Arts Science and Technology.
In MCAST Msida, a full-scale kitchen and a dining room was set up to follow the course with five expatriate Hotel and Catering experts. These were accompanied by Maltese training personnel who made the course possible.In 1982, the equipment was subsequently moved to the Malta Conference Centre (MCC) in Valletta, where the head and training staff were all Maltese nationals.
The students at MCC had first hand training and gained experience serving guests on occasions held at the venue. At around 1987 the course was then moved to premises in Pembroke. It is presently housed in Luqa with the intention of being relocated to Smart City.
Since 1964 Hotel and Catering personnel were able to get first hand and top of the class training at ITS, whilst sharing experiences globally in high class Hotels.Wish success to all the ITS students 2024/2025, and yet to come. Thank you goes to the administration and all the instructors who are dedicated to their posts and getting the best from forthcoming Hotel and Catering personnel.
The Motto should be CUSTOMER CARE AND SATISFACTION.
In MCAST Msida, a full-scale kitchen and a dining room was set up to follow the course with five expatriate Hotel and Catering experts. These were accompanied by Maltese training personnel who made the course possible.In 1982, the equipment was subsequently moved to the Malta Conference Centre (MCC) in Valletta, where the head and training staff were all Maltese nationals.
The students at MCC had first hand training and gained experience serving guests on occasions held at the venue. At around 1987 the course was then moved to premises in Pembroke. It is presently housed in Luqa with the intention of being relocated to Smart City.
Since 1964 Hotel and Catering personnel were able to get first hand and top of the class training at ITS, whilst sharing experiences globally in high class Hotels.Wish success to all the ITS students 2024/2025, and yet to come. Thank you goes to the administration and all the instructors who are dedicated to their posts and getting the best from forthcoming Hotel and Catering personnel.
The Motto should be CUSTOMER CARE AND SATISFACTION.
Michael Scicluna started to work as a Bartender at the ACE of Clubs in Gzira, a meeting place of the sports car generation and upper-class clients. He later worked at the Roadside Inn in St Andrews. Michael then moved to the Plevna Hotel in Sliema after he had attended the Msida Catering School. He subsequently moved to Wales where he gained 35 years of experience in the industry. On his return to Malta, Michael worked for top hotels such as the Mellieha Bay Hotel and the Corinthia Group.
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