KLA Feature - VET Hospitality

Launch of the Sip and Savour Café – Real World Learning in Action

A Milestone Year for Hospitality

This year has been an exciting milestone for our VET Hospitality staff and students, highlighted by the upgrade of our commercial kitchen and the creation of a dedicated café space. This term, we proudly celebrated the opening of the Sip and Savour Café - a vibrant, student-run café that offers hands-on, real-world learning in an industry-standard environment.

Student-Run Café Experience

Students rotated through a variety of key roles crucial to the smooth running of the café. Hosts and wait staff prepared the space for service, greeted guests with professionalism and warmth, managed bookings and seating arrangements, and maintained a high standard of presentation throughout the dining area. Using the POS system, they efficiently took customer orders and coordinated with kitchen staff. Meals and beverages were served with confidence and care, while tables were cleared promptly to ensure guests felt well attended to at all times.

Advanced Point of Sale System

Central to the café’s operations is the implementation of a modern Point of Sale (POS) system, featuring a Square terminal and iPads for flexibility and ease of ordering. The system also includes three workstation printers that divide orders into hot beverages, cold beverages, and food, sending receipts directly to the relevant sections to streamline order preparation and improve workflow efficiency.

Roles and Responsibilities

Our barista students operated the commercial coffee machine to craft espresso-based drinks to industry standards, refining their skills in customer service, speed, and consistency. Meanwhile, back-of-house students prepared food to order, plated dishes with attention to detail, and adhered strictly to food safety protocols to ensure hygiene and quality in every meal served.

Engaging the Wider School Community

Over the term, students have served staff and also extended invitations to the current Year 11 Hospitality students. This has allowed Year 11 students to experience the café from a customer perspective and participate in a guided walkthrough, gaining insight into the logistics and operations of the café service.

Skills Developed and Learning Outcomes

Throughout the service, students showcased excellent teamwork, initiative, and attention to detail. This café experience boosted their confidence and deepened their understanding of hospitality workflows, customer expectations, hygiene and safety standards, and the vital role of clear communication in a fast-paced environment.

This immersive learning opportunity not only consolidated students’ practical competencies but also strengthened their understanding of key HSC content related to food and beverage operations, workflow planning, and service standards.

Looking Ahead

We are immensely proud of our students’ professionalism, enthusiasm, and growth. We look forward to the Sip and Savour Café continuing to provide enriching, real-world experiences that prepare our future hospitality professionals for success.

Mrs Kylie Blundell and Mrs Diana Larsen

VET Hospitality Teacher