RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Misk Foundation is calling for applicants for a hotel training program in Paris in collaboration with luxury brand Bulgari.
The scheme will allow a new generation of Saudis to take the reins in the hospitality industry, with training taking place at Bulgari’s Paris hotel.
In the bold Italian-style establishment, which offers fine dining and lavish spas, Misk interns will get a chance to launch their professional careers and receive full-scope training in all hospitality-related departments.
“The program will include a rotation, so they will be able to go to the concierge, the front desk, admin support, and they will work also with the restaurant,” Jawharah Altheyeb, the program manager, told Arab News.
The Misk Traineeship Program has helped more than 4,000 interns since 2018, teaming up with more than 400 top-tier local and international organizations across various industries to offer internships.
The Misk team traveled to Paris before Eid to meet with French partners, resulting in the foundation’s latest venture into the culinary arts and hospitality field.
“The agreement with Bulgari is to have interns on a rolling basis, so once we have the first track, after six weeks, we will reannounce the program and have Saudi interns all around the year at Bulgari Hotel Paris,” Altheyeb said.
The aim is to allow young Saudis to engage in cultural exchange and garner valuable professional hospitality skills, which aligns with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 goals.
“We are also targeting people who are interested in the hospitality industry, so we feed back into the economy in Saudi Arabia where we also have a mandate in developing human capital in the tourism industry and hopefully place them in full-time opportunities in multiple regions in Saudi,” Altheyeb said.
The hotel, located in the heart of the Golden Triangle in Paris, will offer the paid internships with the help of Niko Romito, the renowned Italian chef behind Il Ristorante - Niko Romito, which has outlets in Dubai, Beijing, Shanghai, Milan and Paris.
Romito will pass on his menus and skills to the Misk interns. Before taking his expertise to Bulgari Hotels & Resorts, he was head chef at Reale, which has been awarded three Michelin stars.
Food and beverage trainees will learn kitchen-management skills and will also be trained in in-room dining.
The rooms division will take part in front office, housekeeping, reservations and butler training, “delivering the highest level of excellence to every single guest” staying in the hotel’s 76 rooms and suites.
“As a pilot, I think it’s very good to have an eight-week program, so it will be more of shadowing the experts in those areas. I don’t think the interns will be experts, but it will give them exposure in a really high-quality hotel,” Altheyeb said.
The collaborative program is accepting fresh Saudi graduates in restaurant or food service, hotel or resorts, tourism and travel, or hospitality administration or management. Applicants must also be proficient in English and either French or Italian, or both.
The deadline to apply is Aug. 13. The internship program will run for two months from Oct. 17 to Dec. 17.
