When and how did you come up with the Idea of MWS Beverage Academy? Why Myanmar?

The first draft of this idea came up about a year and half ago with Melanie Grillon, my co-founder. We were at that time competitors working for import/distribution wine companies in China, but both wanted to do something more challenging. We then started to look at other options and Myanmar came up very fast as we heard about the country’s advances. We did our research and quickly understood that moving and setting up in Myanmar would provide an exciting and interesting opportunity.

How big is MWS team? Who are the teachers and what are the courses you offer?

Right now there is only Melanie and myself but we also have a local partner who is helping us with HR and administrative details.

We are the teachers! Both of us are certified wine and beverage educators from the London based Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET). This organisation promotes high quality education in wines, spirits and other alcoholic beverages for those already in or attending to join the hospitality trade. We are using their well-known curriculum to introduce an informed and thorough standard to Myanmar. We also provide bartending, mixology, barista, service, health and hygiene training; as well as more general consultancy services for the hospitality industry that include aspects such as menu solutions. Then there are also our courses for those with a curiosity for wine and even corporate wine tastings that can provide an entertaining and interesting team building activity.

Do you offer classes in Burmese and English?

We can only offer the classes in English right now. These last five months, we have been working on writing and editing study manuals for the students. We first need to have them all translated before we can start giving courses in Burmese. As soon as this is done, we will then hire and train local teachers.

What are the benefits or challenges of running a business in Myanmar?

We have both spent many years overseas, including three years each in China. Any difficulties we encounter here are not new. Myanmar people are very kind and genuine. We are having a lot of fun and it is a great pleasure teaching our classes. The students really want to learn and show appreciation and respect for the restaurant and hotels who give them the opportunities to develop their skills.

What sort of people take WSET classes?

WSET wine courses originally, are made for hospitality professionals, but the public also has an interest in learning about wine. These courses are adapted to any kind of person with this sort of interest. Classes teach everything you should know about wine production, grape varieties, food and wine pairing, appellation, and tasting; and so we of course taste wine during our classes. Our WSET level 2 gives you the opportunity to taste 45 wines and 5 spirits from around the world in 3 days. We also teach you to spit it out if you want to finish the class…

What do you think of Myanmar’s own wine industry?

There are two wineries in Myanmar, located in the Inle lake area. Considering the challenge they are facing making wine in this particular climate, they are doing a great job.

In your opinion, which establishments are at the forefront of service, skills and knowledge in the hospitality sector?

There are lots of places that are doing a good job - Union Bar and Gekko have an intense bar training program and even send some of their staff to Singapore to receive this training. The Lab is run by passionate owners, sharing their knowledge of food and beverage with their staff, which definitely shows. The Savoy, Shangri-la and Governor’s Residence hotels also meet high hospitality standards. There is also Shwe Sa Bwe, a restaurant/hospitality school for young people that is able to quickly achieve impressive results. The key to success in achieving good service is to trigger and develop a passion from your staff; and to show them they can actually have fun working. If you can manage that, most of the work is done.

In the last year, Yangon has seen a huge growth in the range of restaurants and bars that have opened. Do you think Myanmar culture is adapting to this change in terms of accepting new foods and beverages as well as developing a new kind of curiosity?

There is always room for creative concept, even in cities with a saturated restaurant and bar scene. It is all about new experiences, good service and most of all good food and beverages. Myanmar culture is not different than any other culture in terms of curiosity; I think they welcome it and are proud to have good restaurants in their country. I believe it is just the beginning, and I am very curious to see what the future holds for Myanmar.

There are a few bars/wine shops that now offer wine course. What makes MWS different?

These places are more about tasting wine, in a situation where you get a good deal on few glasses of wine. What MWS offers is actual knowledge. Of course we taste wine and have good time, but it is much more an academic approach where you leave the courses with an expertise depending on the level you attend.

What are MWS Beverage Academy's plans for the future?

We only started operating in early September and so we are at first making ourselves known to and familiar with the Myanmar hospitality trade. However, we are also working on a project with a well known Yangon restaurant to run some Sunday wine brunches where you can enjoy great food & wine pairing courses, providing thorough wine knowledge, whilst eating.
And one day perhaps we would like to open our own place where we can actually do and share everything we love in one place.

Source: My Yangon