Desenzano Hospitality School Expands as Student Numbers Surge
The Desenzano Hospitality School is booming. Next academic year, additional external classrooms will need to be added to the current complex on via Michelangelo. Five or six rooms will be created in a building just a stone’s throw away, thus avoiding significant inconvenience for students and teachers. The bidding process will open in the coming days. Last year, there were 460 students enrolled, but this year the cap of 500 will be surpassed: it is expected to have no fewer than 520 students, plus 240 from the Gardone Riviera campus, the main location of Caterina De’ Medici. Yesterday, a celebration was held in Desenzano, organized by the school authorities (Principal Adalberto Avanzi and Director Walter Mesar), inviting local officials and representatives of the tourism sector to the end-of-year showcase featuring elaborately prepared menus.
The school’s success and its tools
But what is the reason behind the high success of the Hospitality School? “It is a school that facilitates immediate entry into the workforce, and,” Avansi recalls, “the tourism economy is a driving force for this institution. Nonetheless, the reasons for its success also lie in the tools the Desenzano school has acquired. For example, they have 24 monoblock stations where students practicing cooking find a fridge, oven, griddle, flame, and everything else needed in a kitchen. We modeled this on a prestigious hospitality institute in New York, which we visited during a study trip.” However, the eternal dilemma still occasionally holds students back: does the school truly train future bartenders or chefs to perfection? According to some experts present at yesterday’s end-of-year celebration, “the real testing ground remains the restaurants or hotels.” In other words, despite the progress made in recent years, the school still needs to refine its training to ensure future professionals are ready for the job market.
History of the campus and moments of discussion
The Desenzano branch was established in 1979 with about fifty students enrolled. Its premises were at the ground floor of the former Bagatta boarding school, which was beginning to serve as the new municipal headquarters. Later, the Hospitality School moved to the Montecroce complex, owned at the time by Ussl 40. Years of battles and controversy followed, as various administrations ignored the need for a proper and functional facility. The current site is not the best: it was built on land adjacent to the «Trebeschi» middle school and, as seen, is already too cramped.
End-of-year event and participants
Yesterday, students showcased their skills, earning praise from all sides. Among the attendees were Enzo Dellea (former president of Brescia’s chefs), Camillo Chimini (secretary of the “Buongustai”), Gabriella Avansi (Brescia’s Amira trustee), Carlo Seruggeri (a well-known Brescia chef and now an exam commissioner), Giuseppe Dattoli (president of Arthob), Stefano Lizzeri (delegate of “Arte in Tavola”), along with numerous hoteliers and restaurant managers, and, of course, local authorities: provincial councilors Mauro Parolini and Ermes Buffoli, and the Desenzano municipal officials.