The 9th edition of the European Mise en place Cup took place on Sunday February 12th and Monday February 13th in the gastronomic city of Maastricht. This edition revolved around the theme ‘Catch Me If You Can – Stay in Love’.
32 reputable international Hotel Management Schools, from 14 different countries participated in the 9th edition of the European Mise en Place Cup. They gathered in Maastricht to share their vision on the theme ‘Catch Me If You Can – Stay in Love’. This theme focused on how to deal with the upcoming Millennials-generation, who will take the overwhelming part of the workforce soon. The students were judged by the Business Jury, consisting of more than 60 hospitality professionals. These companies have to deal with the movement of generations as well and can gain ideas and scout talent for their own organisation.
Competition
The teams of students conducted several assignments prior to the competition. They had to set-up a social media campaign to increase brand awareness on the EMCup and its theme. Besides that, they worked with the hotel simulation game HOTS and wrote an academic paper which was graded by the Business Jury.
The teams pitched their academic paper during the competition days. Furthermore, they worked on a case, which was pitched as well, while keeping the jury’s feedback in mind. All these elements were part of the ranking of the top 16. The top 16 battled in debates and the winners received the opportunity to elaborate on their case and presented their ideas to a large audience. The students showed how the industry can respond to the upcoming generation and how they can intrigue Millennials. “We want people to value us, it is about our intrinsic motivation. Millennials want flexibility and freedom.”
Building a professional network
“The true value of the EMCup lies not in the competition itself, but around it”. The participating students had another important mission the competition; building a professional network. A Walking Dinner took place at Hotel Management School Maastricht on the first competition day to stimulate interaction amongst the participants, where all partners hosted a table. Furthermore, an interactive session took place where the students could ask for advice from professionals in an informal atmosphere. The competition ended with an ‘Award Dinner’ in the Rebelle Church in Maastricht, where the awards were handed of and of course, there was plenty of time to network.
The programme was moderated by trainers from Q-staff, who gave a training on behavioural styles and a workshop on personal branding as well. Next to that, Keynote Speaker Herman Konings gave a presentation related to the theme: “It is the year of the WIG, people are looking for Warmth, Inclusion and Generosity”. The EMCup stands for long lasting relationships and students and the Business Jury stay in touch via several channels.
India,Tess, Stephanie and Winston proudly represented Tio and they have been preparing for the competition since September.
So looking back at the competition what have you enjoyed the most?
India: “Meeting teams and making new friends.”
Tess: “Of all things I enjoyed spending time with the team and doing things together. Having dinner, shooting the video, coming up with an original group picture but also the visit to FX (voted number 1 agency in NL) and the extensive media training by Machteld Kooij. Because of this it was not just hard work but learning new things in new situations!”
Stephanie: “Definitely meeting the other teams and see what ideas they had.”
Winston: “Meeting all the people.”
The competition is all about advancing your career. What have you learned from the experience?
India: “How to deliver a great pitch. Those are skills that you can use the rest of your life.”
Tess: “I have learned loads about myself but also working together as a team.”
Stephanie: “How to network. How can you give your business card to someone in such a way they remember you.”
Winston: “Networking and getting to know myself better through the Mapstell training.”
Last but not least, what made it an unforgettable experience for you?
India: “The feedback from the jury is something I really value and will take away for life.”
Tess: “The weekend of the competition, itself, was unforgettable. In two days, I met so many people and had so many conversations. The weekend was over before I knew it and I enjoyed it thoroughly. It is a shame it is over and despite not having the outcome we wanted I still am incredibly happy I have participated.”
Stephanie: ”The debate. Ours was definitely a ‘heated’ one compared to some other debates we watched.”
Winston: “The whole atmosphere of the competition and everyone being there (students, coaches, judges).”
Thank you all for sharing this experience with us! And congratulations to Tess, who won a prize for the best idea.
Did you know that Tio won the EMCup in 2016?