NEWS

On Thursday, July 18, Professor Shunsaku Hashimoto’s course, “Food & Beverage Operations” in the College of Sustainability and Tourism, concluded with a special lecture by Mr. Davide Zanardi, General Manager of ANA Intercontinental Beppu Resort & Spa. This special lecture was arranged in anticipation of the cooperative internships set to begin at the hotel this autumn.

With extensive work experience in hotels located in major cities and resort areas such as Osaka, Tokyo, and Okinawa, Mr. Zanardi reflected on his career, stating that gaining experience in both city and resort hotels was crucial for his career advancement in hotel management.
The lecture, themed “Operations of Food & Beverage Services in First-Class Hotels,” covered various topics including an introduction to the hotel brands of the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), the types of food and beverage services offered at different hotels, and the provision of dining services that align with hotel grades. Mr. Zanardi also discussed financial performance indicators and factors that influence these metrics, providing students with practical insights from a hotel operations professional.

During the lecture, Mr. Zanardi highlighted the fact that Japanese hotels have one of the highest revenue ratios from food and beverage services globally. When he asked the students why this might be the case, they responded with reasons such as the high quality of Japanese chefs and the tendency of Japanese people to use hotel restaurants for special occasions, including non-staying guests. He agreed with these points and added that Japanese people’s preference for high-brand value as a status symbol also contributes to this trend.

In the latter half of the lecture, students participated in group work to simulate the promotion of food and beverage departments at a resort hotel in the Caribbean and a city hotel in a major Australian city. The students identified “strengths and opportunities” and “threats and challenges” based on each hotel’s location and brainstormed activities to increase sales in the food and beverage department.
Mr. Zanardi emphasized that all the opinions and ideas from the students were viable and could be implemented in practice. He concluded the special lecture by stating, “Future hotel food and beverage services must go beyond mere meal provision to offer emotionally moving dining experiences. It is important to provide flexible services that meet individual customer needs, achieve high ratings from third-party evaluation organizations like Michelin, and operate sustainably to reduce food waste.” He also stressed the importance of aesthetics that encourage sharing on social media.

Note: The “cooperative internship” is a program where APU and partner companies/organizations sign a memorandum of understanding. APU acts as an intermediary for student applications to these partner companies/organizations. If requirements are met and the student wishes to participate, they can register for academic credit.