What can you tell us about your professional experience?
I started my hospitality journey at the tender age of 12 working at a hotel in my hometown of Nairn. I went on to study hotel management and receive my HCIMA professional qualification from Robert Gordon’s University in Aberdeen.
In 1995, I joined the National Hospitality Institute (NHI) in Oman.
How are you leaving your mark on the F&B industry?
At NHI, we have spent many years introducing young talents to the industry, providing them with great opportunities. Our job at NHI is to ensure that they are ready to seize these opportunities. My team and I are passionate about hospitality, which we have all been part of for so long, and we aim to pass on some of that passion to our students.
Oman now has some incredible young Omani hospitality leaders who are taking the industry forward and working locally with fantastic brands.
Through our hands-on, practical approach to training, we have inspired a future generation of chefs who will do Oman proud.
How would you rate Oman’s culinary scene?
There are a number of young Omani chefs who are rising through the ranks. They are the chefs of the future and also role models for youngsters who are contemplating a career in the culinary arts.
In addition, Oman has a greater selection of restaurants than ever before, from luxurious spots to street food options.
How do you foresee Oman’s hospitality future?
Oman is a stunning country that boasts culture, nature, adventure and so much more. I believe that it will become a coveted destination.
nhioman.com
About author
Rita Ghantous
Rita Ghantous is a hospitality aficionado and a passionate writer with over 9 years’ experience in journalism and 5 years experience in the hospitality sector. Her passion for the performance arts and writing, started early. At 10 years old she was praised for her solo performance of the Beatles song “All My Love” accompanied by a guitarist, and was approached by a French talent scout during her school play. However, her love for writing was stronger. Fresh out of school, she became a freelance journalist for Noun Magazine and was awarded the Silver Award Cup for Outstanding Poetry, by The International Library of Poetry (Washington DC). She studied Business Management and earned a Masters degree from Saint Joseph University (USJ), her thesis was published in the Proche-Orient, Études en Management book. She then pursued a career in the hospitality industry but didn’t give up writing, that is why she launched the Four Points by Sheraton Le Verdun Newsletter. Her love for the industry and journalism led her to Hospitality Services - the organizers of the HORECA trade show in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Jordan, as well as Salon Du Chocolat, Beirut Cooking Festival, Whisky Live and other regional shows. She is currently the Publications Executive of Hospitality News Middle East, Taste & Flavors and Lebanon Traveler. It is with ultimate devotion for her magazines that she demonstrates her hospitality savoir-faire.
