Honoring laureates Hotelschool Ter Duinen

On Thursday, April 27, 2023, the honoring of the students of the hotel school who participated in various (inter)national competitions this school year took place in Restaurant De Villa of Hotelschool Ter Duinen Koksijde, in the presence of director Peter Verbeke, Piet Vannieuwenhuyze of DipWSET, and the accompanying teachers.

Director Peter Verbeke spoke highly of his students: “Every day, the students of Hotelschool Ter Duinen give the best of themselves. They excel in craftsmanship and perseverance. Cooking, serving, hospitality, management … Our students are prepared to pamper the guests. Talent must be encouraged. Our students participate in numerous (inter)national competitions, from Belgian Youth Coffee Ambassador until Junior Maître d’Hotel of Belgium. We do this to keep a finger on the pulse and because we are 100% sure that our students also pass the stress test with flying colors. And whether we win prizes with that! Participating is a first step, winning is the icing on the cake. Our students put in fantastic performances and it is always a great honor for us as a school when a student wins’, said director Verbeke, who continued “We want to honor our student laureates accordingly. As management, we have nothing but gratitude for so much passion and commitment. We would like to express our appreciation and pride for our students who participated in the competitions. We would also like to thank the coaching teachers very much, because the success is a result of their hard work. Winning a great prize is personally very pleasant, but it also puts the name of the school on the map.”

The diploma from Hotelschool Ter Duinen can be supplemented with a diploma from DipWSET, which is recognized in more than 75 countries. (WSET: Wine and Spirit Education Trust). The director thanked Piet Vannieuwenhuyse of Winewise for the trust and cooperation and emphasized that he considers it a great honor to build together on a renowned wine education that enjoys worldwide fame. Piet Vannieuwenhuyse: ‘Don’t underestimate the value of the diploma. Many people have to sweat hard to pass the exams.’

Many wine regions organize their own wine education, including California. This leading region also hosts online courses and exams. The students who received their WSET diploma also received a beautiful pin to proudly pin on their costume in addition to the HK pin they receive at the end of the 6th year. The pupils were thanked one by one and received a bottle of champagne from the school and the book ‘Le Feu Sacré’ to take home or to the boarding room.

Director Verbeke hopes that the students will continue the passion and fire of the training in their further careers. He hopes that the students can take it very far in their work and with their commitment: “Collaborations bring everyone forward and innovations offer opportunities. The school offers these young people opportunities, but by participating in the matches, they head the ball into the goal themselves, as Jeroen Meus would say. The school provides the basics. After the training with us, the students have a range of advice, knowledge and external contacts at their disposal and they can work anywhere. Most rely on themselves and on the adventure life brings them.”