At Haute Cabrière, we are not only passionate about wine, but also the people who enjoy it, who craft it, who serve it and who love to learn about it. As a family-led Franschhoek estate which is home to a beautiful restaurant, event venue, tasting room and bakery – hospitality is one of our core missions, alongside the creation of quality wines for people to enjoy together.
We have always been a team that enjoys learning new things, coming up with new ideas, and pursuing our passions – in wine, in food, in service, in life. Education is at the core of our ability to do so as it gives us the tools, insights and skills to do what we love. Education and sharing knowledge has therefore always been important to us.
We are elated to share this space, formerly our crèche and after-school Education Centre, with fellow hospitality and wine enthusiasts studying with Franschhoek Hospitality Academy! This is the next step in Haute Cabrière’s journey with the community of the Franschhoek Valley, and we couldn’t be more excited as it takes flight.
The history of our education centre
The Haute Cabrière Education Centre was first opened in 2010 on the Estate to give the parents in our team a safe, nurturing environment in which to entrust their children while they worked during the day. A challenging vision had to be realised – we needed to create a home for 35 children from age 2 up to 19, in one spacious, well-equipped building run by a team which could meet their learning and multi-lingual language requirements.
From potty training the toddlers, to Matric science and math, the establishment of an edible garden, expansive playground, and nourishing daily meals cooked with love – every child that attended the centre discovered their passions, fed their dreams and received support where they needed it.
Haute Cabrière’s creche and learning centre was a heartfelt investment and led to a successful education space which ran for over a decade until 2021. Unfortunately, the pandemic led to constraints which resulted in finding the children new education and care support, and the ultimate closure of the original centre.
New purpose
The Franschhoek Hospitality Academy and Learning Centre is in many ways a passion project – from Franschhoek, for Franschhoek. Founded by Michaela Julian, Tarryn Corlett and Brian Moor who had the dream to help reduce the unemployment rate and offer a skills-based education model fit for the youth of the area, paired with vocational education, on the job training and hospitality industry exposure. They opened their doors to their first venture, the Franschhoek Community Sports Centre, in 2018.
A group of 20 students had a dream to gain the skills and knowledge to find and keep gainful employment within the Franschhoek Valley and inspired a year-long fundraising and planning effort.
Now in their sixth year, courses being taught at Franschhoek Hospitality Academy include: Introduction to Wine, Front Office, Food and Beverage Standards, Housekeeping, Cooking, Franschhoek Concierge, How to Ace an Interview, Entrepreneurship, and An Introduction to Management.
The program has been carefully designed under advisement from some of their much-admired ambassadors – Margot Janse, Reuben Riffel, Matthew Gordon and Chris Erasmus – to meet the employment needs of our valley.
After a challenging period during the pandemic to manage both resources and physical space, the academy searched for a new place to call home. They are extremely proud and excited to be share the Haute Cabrière Education Centre with the Academy and partner with them in their continued commitment to education in the valley.
The education model
The Franschhoek Hospitality Academy education model is a simple one: students pay a basic fee toward their education, which represents a third of their total cost. Two-thirds are raised via corporate sponsorship, fundraising events, partnerships and donations in kind. This buy-in from the individual student coupled with the student-centric value system the Franschhoek Hospitality Academy have built over the years, is the reason why 95% of their graduates are employed.
Those not employed are furthering their studies either in South Africa or at the ITM College in Austria, which since 2018, has offered two fully funded study bursaries in Austria each year to Academy students. Eight of their alumni have so far graduated from this program, two are in their first year of study and two more will be joining the course this year.
Education is and always will be the foundation of transformation. We see it in every student who has graduated from the Franschhoek Hospitality Academy and is employed and happy. These dedicated students are forging futures for themselves, their families and their community. It gives us immense joy to see the transformation and impact education has for the lives of these students.