International Hotel School awards R210,000 bursary

Rossouw Koen and Chris Godenir

Rossouw clinched victory by showing his continued mettle though five gruelling nine-hour days of Hospitality Boot Camp, in which he and four fellow finalists competed across a range of departments, including, among others, Reception, Food & Beverages, and Housekeeping - and completed diverse (and often surprise) tasks such as restocking bars and cleaning rooms for new arrivals late at night.

"Boot Camp is an eagerly anticipated event at The Peninsula each year. It is always exciting to see young, talented people being rewarded for giving their best. This year's finalists were a very strong group with a great team ethic. Their passion and commitment are encouraging indications of the future of the industry," said Chris Godenir, GM of The Peninsula.

Carefully selected criteria

Each task was evaluated according to carefully selected criteria and adjudicated by a panel of judges, presided over by Godenir, who the contestants had to face on the final day when they were questioned about their motivations for entering and aspirations within the hospitality industry.

With photo-finish final scores, the runner-up, Mitchell Fryer from Stellenberg High, was awarded a partial bursary to cover 30% of the fees for the IHS course of his choice, providing a considerable kick-start into his hospitality career.