ELTHAM College owns and operates a hospitality training centre and fully-functional winery, café and restaurant called Swipers Gully.
Located in the north-east of Melbourne near the Research campus of ELTHAM College, Swipers Gully provides a fantastic hands-on learning opportunity for Senior School students.
In 2020, the Certificate II in Hospitality (kitchen operations) and Certificate III in Hospitality had to run differently to other years, due to COVID-19 restrictions. However there were ways to continue the learning, albeit in a different format.
For example, instead of serving customers at Swipers Gully, there was a move to a ‘simulated restaurant’ where the students cooked for themselves.
The kitchen students prepared the food, plated up and served it before sitting down and enjoying what they prepared, while the food and beverage students rotated their serving roles, serving both food and beverages to the kitchen and front of house students while maintaining COVID-safe protocols. This allowed the students to not only meet the requirements of the course, but to enjoy the fruits of their labour.
Fortunately throughout remote learning, students did have opportunities to return to the training restaurant. In order to fulfil their essential practical assessments for hospitality, Swipers Gully was able to be utilised once again.
This was a positive experience for students, who enjoyed returning to the kitchen to complete practical tasks, as well as being able to see their friends and enjoy social interaction while applying their theoretical knowledge.
Swipers Gully is also open to diners throughout the school year. Please visit the Swipers Gully page on the ELTHAM College website for information on the opening dates for 2021.