MMH
Master Class
Each year, the MMH program offers a three-day immersion seminar taught by industry leaders. Classes are held in January, usually at the site of an industry leader's operation. Students solve problems based on real-life scenarios, and present their solutions to industry leaders and the Hotel School faculty members who accompany them.
Recent Master Classes have included:
2008 - Las Vegas and the Gaming Industry
The Ithaca-campus MMH students spent three days in Las Vegas, touring casino hotels and meeting with executives of four companies: Las Vegas Sands, Harrah's, Wynn Las Vegas, and MGM/Mirage. The industry presentations—many by Hotel School alumni—covered project development in both Las Vegas and Macau, casino and hotel operations, food and beverage, human resources, and marketing, especially casino rewards programs. Industry leaders were open to the students' questions, and readily shared proprietary information on their development strategies and operating financial results.
2007 - Luxury Accommodations and Spas (Singapore campus students)
Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts, known for its luxury accommodations and award-winning spas, also focuses on corporate social responsibility and environmental protection. CNI MMH students journeyed to Lijiang, China, site of Banyan Tree's newest resort. This master class focused on the corporate and property-level strategies that should be pursued to allow for Banyan Tree's continued success and worldwide expansion. Senior Banyan Tree executives were a fundamental part of these discussions.
2006 - Fine Dining Management
Hillstone Restaurant Group, a premier operator of fine dining restaurants nationally, sponsored a unique opportunity for MMH students to spend time visiting several famed Napa Valley eateries and wineries, including The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone, Frog's Leap Winery, the Rutherford Grill, Vella Cheese Company, Long Meadow Ranch, and Rubicon Estate . The Master Class included meals, wine tastings, lectures, tours, case studies, and presentations, with numerous opportunities to interact with top executives from Hillstone and these local Napa business leaders.
2005 - The Business of Restaurants
This master class, co-presented by Darden Restaurants and Larry Stuart Hospitality - a premier restaurant and lodging consultancy - focused on corporate restaurant management and multi-unit theme concepts throughout the world. Bahama Breeze, Olive Garden, Smokey Bones Barbeque and Grill, and Red Lobster are all brands of the world's largest casual-dining company, Darden Restaurants, of Orlando, Florida. It was a unique opportunity to learn about supply-chain management, concept design and development, menu development, and total quality management.
2004 - Onsite Foodservice and Conference-service Management
ARAMARK, a world leader in food service, conference management, and lodging, exposed students to one of the fastest growing segments of the hospitality industry: onsite foodservice and conference-service management. Discussions were held with senior executives, including the company's president, CFO, and vice president of human resources, many of whom were Hotel School alumni. MMH students stayed at the historic Carolina Inn on the University of North Carolina campus as guests of ARAMARK's Harrison Lodging division, and attended classes in design and architecture, operations management, and service delivery held at Duke University.
2003 - Gaming, Hospitality, and Entertainment
Three hotel casinos - the Venetian Resort Hotel Casino, Harrah's Hotel Casino, and Bellagio Hotel Casino - played host to MMH students interested in learning about lodging, dining, gaming, entertainment, and the development of mega-resorts in one of the world's hottest centers for hospitality - Las Vegas. An intensive agenda combined interactive forums with case studies. Topics ranged from the financial complexities of mixed-use mega-hotels to the current gourmet culinary explosion in Las Vegas, and even touched on architecture and horticulture. And those who wished, of course, tried their hands at the tables.
2002 - Luxury Brand Management
This master class focused on creating and managing a luxury brand in lodging, food and beverage service, and cruise lines. Management style, service delivery, and product differentiation were all addressed. Ali Kasikci, general manager of the Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills and host of the class, was assisted by Stan Bromley, regional vice president and general manager of Four Seasons Hotels; Wolfgang Puck, star chef on the Food Network and owner of Spago Restaurants; and Dietmar Wertanzl, then senior vice president of Crystal Cruises. NBC travel critic Peter Greenberg brought a journalistic perspective to luxury travel since 9/11.