Fuelling his Passion: Meet Jatin Joshi

While working at the Purple Thistle Dining Room at the Keltic Lodge during his co-op placement, CBU student Jatin Joshi says he was able to learn a lot about cooking while also meeting many amazing people. Jatin is from a city called Jalandhar in Northern India, and is in his final year of the Bachelor of Hospitality and Tourism Management (BHTM) program at CBU. 

Before coming to Canada, Jatin did vocational training with Taj SATS Air Catering Ltd. in Goa, one of India’s top tourism hotspots. “I got to work in different departments like Garde Manger, the bakery, as well as both the hot and cold kitchen,” says Jatin. “My favourite part was getting to live and work in Goa while working with food from various cultures around the world.”

In Canada, Jatin has completed two internships with the Harold and Grace Baker Center for long term care in North York, Ontario, and the Keltic Lodge Resort and Spa in Ingonish. “During both of my internships I got the chance to have hands-on experience with the hospitality industry,” says Jatin. “At the Baker Center, I served senior residents and did other housekeeping duties, while at the Keltic Lodge I worked as a cook and learned the role of sous chef.” 

For Jatin, what he has enjoyed most about the BHTM program is getting to know so many people through various activities and internship placements. “I’ve really enjoyed networking with people who are actively working in the hospitality and tourism industry,” Jatin adds. “These people give students like me insight into the industry, as well as providing opportunities to jump start our careers.”

Jatin says his co-op placements and internships helped him utilize concepts from his courses, which, combined with his previous work experience, helped him gain a better understanding of the field. “In my opinion, co-op placements and internships in a sense act as parachutes, because students can safely place their feet in the industry and get to know how things work in real-life scenarios which prepares them for their future careers,” Jatin shares. “I would definitely recommend the BHTM program to other students because it gave me an idea of what industry standards exist in this line of work, and what I can expect as I enter the industry in the foreseeable future.”

Moving forward, Jatin is hoping to have a career in the food and beverage industry. “My experiences at CBU have helped me become familiar with the hospitality environment,” Jatin says. “My time has prepared me for this field of work in terms of the knowledge and hands-on experience I’ve gained!”

If you’re interested in internships in the hospitality and tourism industry, join us on campus for the Hospitality and Tourism Job Fair on Wednesday, December 1, at 10:00am in the Multipurpose Room.