Emirates has opened a new facility in Dubai to provide a luxurious training experience to almost 25,000 cabin crew, focused on the art of hospitality excellence. The US$8 million learning zone and programme features a sprawling restaurant and lounge for up to 170 guests, elegant presentation kitchens and 8 tech-enabled classrooms. More than 10,000 Emirates cabin crew will be trained in the new facility by the end of the year.
The Emirates Centre of Hospitality Excellence is home to a myriad of elevated service trainings, modelled on Michelin star standards, including fine dining protocols, premium guest engagement and table service finesse. In 2020, Emirates began a collaboration with one of the world’s top hospitality management schools – the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne in Switzerland to establish a new elevated hospitality strategy, which was a resounding success. The Emirates Centre of Hospitality Excellence now stands as the emblem of this very strategy, inspiring cabin crew to deliver Emirates’ four pillars of hospitality in the sky – excellence, attentiveness, innovation and passion.
Thomas Ney, Emirates’s DSVP of Service Delivery said: “Emirates continues to uplift the ‘fly better’ experience for our valued customers. We have invested in the highest levels of luxury hospitality training for our cabin crew, enabling them to really relate to the customers they serve and create unforgettable signature moments. We are delighted to provide our crew with immersive training, allowing them to personally sample the cuisine, the beverages, the ambiance and ultimately, the hospitality Emirates is renowned for. This is how we empower world class cabin crew.”
The Emirates Centre of Hospitality Excellence offers a wide range of training and facilities for cabin crew engagement. Newly recruited Emirates cabin crew will be trained in the facility, as well as experienced crew – who receive refresher and upgrade training many times throughout their career.
The Emirates Centre of Hospitality Excellence offers a unique opportunity for cabin crew to dine as guests and experience a gourmet four-course gastronomy lunch. The fine dining experience is curated by Emirates’ master chefs, serving some of Emirates’ most celebrated First and Business Class dishes and signature meals. The cabin crew are personally served their meal by Emirates’ elite training team, to showcase the best of Emirates’ own 7 star hospitality, leading by example and modelling best practices to cabin crew. Emirates’ 7 star hospitality goals focus on enhanced coaching to cabin crew, to infuse their customer interactions with authenticity, personality, and connection.
A purpose-built training kitchen has been designed as a fusion between a professional restaurant kitchen and an airline galley. In this area, Emirates cabin crew learn the art of plating from a team of experienced chef trainers. Balancing textures, colours and shape, cabin crew learn how to produce dishes that look like works of art on the plate, adding to the sensory exploration of dining with Emirates.
The Art of Service course is a communication-focused course that goes beyond refined techniques, introducing cabin crew to the deeper meaning behind fine dining. Beyond the impeccable handling of silverware, attractive plating and wine service, fine dining is a dialogue between the host and guest. This course encourages cabin crew to go beyond the basic service steps and tune into subtle cues, listen with intention, anticipate needs, and adapt their approach to create personalised experiences. It also focuses on developing their savoir-être – the art of presence, poise, and emotional intelligence, essential for engaging with Emirates diverse customers. This training is custom built by the Emirates’ team from extensive research and exploration across a variety of Michelin-starred restaurants and luxury hospitality globally.
Emirates Centre of Hospitality Excellence will also be the venue for hosting wine tastings and dedicated events led by expert wine trainers and sommeliers, building on the success of L’art du vin, Emirates’ wine learning experience for cabin crew.
Earlier in the year, Emirates also opened a new Crew Zone in Emirates Group Headquarters, Dubai – a dedicated 24/7 space for cabin crew. The Crew Zone provides educational workshops, tech zones, around the clock staff support, a beauty and wellbeing hub, an interactive lounge area, and more services to assist cabin crew.
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