The chances are that they are looking at an appetising meal in a restaurant with a nice bottle of Chilean red to wash it down with. Or else watching television in a climatically controlled hotel room with their owner lying on a professionally made bed wearing a towel and within arms reach of all comforts. And now that the Celtic Tiger is roaring rather than meowing, there are more Irish eyes than ever before; looking at menus and enjoying quality time away in Ireland's many hotels where room service is only a phone call away and the guests' wish is the management's command.
This hedonistic shift however, has given rise to a growing demand for people to service this booming sector and anyone with a qualification in the hospitality industry will never be short of job offers. If you think that you might have what it takes to become a purveyor of luxury - an appreciation of good food and fine wine combined with an ability to smile at those around you when they might appear unwilling to smile at you - then you should check out some of the great courses on offer in this area. The DIT Cathal Brugha Street offers the degree in Hospitality (Hotel and Catering) Management (full time) which, according to the brochure, "offers a challenging curriculum which aims to develop a holistic approach to management while developing interpersonal skills" - obviously aimed at eradicating any 'Basil Fawlty' traits that you may be harbouring! And the good news is that you can also do this on a day release basis if are unable to commit to full time education. And for a full listing of all the other courses on offer from the DIT in this area, both part time and at night, you can check their website at www.dit.ie. And a very comprehensive website it is too, with something there for everyone.
For example, for those who like to be in charge there is "Principles of Supervision for the Hospitality Industry" which you can do one night a week. On the other hand, for the more culinary adventurous, there is "Advanced Kitchen - Ethnic Cuisine", bound to make you a big hit with all your well-travelled friends. And, for the more cautious among you and anyone who is not resigned to dying after a night of 'eating, drinking and being merry', there is always "Hygiene and Safety for the Hospitality Industry" which you can also do one night a week. And, for those who prefer working behind a screen to working behind a bar, there is "Information Technology for the Hospitality Industry", one night a week for one term. But the ultimate course for the more sociable student has got to be "Certificate in Wine and Spirit Studies", one evening a week (four hours!) for a year. According to the course description, the 'studies' include 'tasting of wine and other drinks as appropriate'. It's unlikely that there would be any hardship involved in studying for this certificate! If you wish to contact us about this or any other article, you can email to info@nightcourses.com.
