Hospitality education: specialisations for professional growth
A hotel is a combination of disciplines: reception, service, beverage knowledge, food, hygiene and safety, and coaching new colleagues on the floor. Many professionals learn the trade in practice, but those who want to grow or stand out eventually reach the same point: experience is valuable, but targeted education makes your knowledge more complete and easier to transfer. Think of specialisations you can apply directly during your shift, from wine and gastronomy skills in F&B to barista skills in breakfast, lobby and banqueting, and certified trainer qualifications for those who train teams. In this article, we list programmes that suit different roles within the hotel, including what you learn, who they are for and how they may be assessed.
1) Wine: from foundation to the highest SVH level
SVH Wine 2 (foundation)
This level is designed to build a solid foundation. You gain structured knowledge about the key aspects of wine, taste different wines and explore wine regions. The goal is to use wine professionally and practically in a restaurant or hotel context, for example in service or at the bar.
More information about SVH Wine 2
SVH Wine 3 (advanced)
Wine 3 takes a clear step further: more international wine regions, characteristics of grape varieties, vinification and recognising quality differences. Tasting and evaluation remain key components, and you also learn how to create wine and food pairings with dishes from the menu.
More information about SVH Wine 3
SVH Vinologist Sommelier (highest level within wine)
This level is for professionals who want to develop wine as a specialism. According to SVH, there is a strong focus on developing and refining sensory skills, with structured tasting and organoleptic evaluation forming the foundation.
After obtaining the SVH Diploma Vinologist Sommelier, you may use the title SVH Registered Vinologist Sommelier (rVS) for five years.
More information about SVH Vinologist Sommelier
2) Gastronomy: flavour profiles and food and beverage pairing beyond wine
Gastronomy focuses broadly on flavour: how to define flavour profiles of drinks and dishes and how to combine them. It is a logical next step for professionals who want to better substantiate their pairing choices, not only with wine but also with other beverages, and who want to approach flavour analysis in a structured way.
More information about SVH Gastronomy
3) Certified trainer: guiding, training and assessing on the floor
The certified trainer role goes far beyond simply explaining tasks. According to SVH, you are central to the development of students and employees. In this specialisation you learn how to guide and assess, but also how to recruit, select, introduce and onboard new employees. Reviewing and evaluating the training and development process is also covered.
The SVH Certified Trainer diploma is obtained by successfully completing three exams: a theory exam, a practical coaching and guidance exam, and a portfolio assessment.
More information about SVH Certified Trainer
4) Hospitality team training: creating a consistent guest experience
This type of training is often used when teams such as front office, F&B and banqueting want to work on a consistent service standard and collaboration on the floor. The programme described includes a one day practical training and concludes with a certificate.
More information about SVH Hospitality
5) Coffee and bar: barista foundation training
Coffee is a key moment of truth in many hotels: breakfast, lobby, meeting packages and bar service. A barista foundation training therefore focuses on consistent and reproducible quality. The programme includes tasting, smelling and experiencing coffee, preparing espresso in practice, understanding the difference between a lungo and an americano, milk frothing for cappuccinos and milk based drinks, and an introduction to latte art. It also covers the journey from bean to cup, grind settings and recipes, understanding machines and recognising quality differences.
More information about SVH Barista
Which programme fits your ambition?
If you mainly want to strengthen your wine advice and wine and food pairing skills, a step by step progression makes sense: SVH Wine 2 to SVH Wine 3 to SVH Vinologist Sommelier, with optional rVS registration after graduation.
If you want to broaden your knowledge of flavour and pairing across multiple beverages, SVH Gastronomy is a logical choice.
If you want to make an impact on training, onboarding and coaching on the floor, SVH Certified Trainer is the most direct route.
If you want to create an immediate and tangible quality difference in breakfast, lobby, banqueting or bar service, a barista foundation training is often quickly applicable.