If you love nothing more than to see a thriving service industry and the prospect of restaurant-hopping has your mouth watering, perhaps you should consider getting your hospitality management degree in Hartford.
Eat, Drink, and Get Your Hospitality Management Degree in Hartford, Connecticut
by H. L. Staples
Over a $1 billion worth of private and publicly funded projects are under way in Hartford, Connecticut, including many new restaurants and hotels. What's more, you'll find no shortage of such venues already well-established in the city, along with several of Connecticut's universities and colleges.
Calling itself 'New England's Rising Star,' Hartford, Connecticut is the state's capital. The city has the state's second largest population (124,848), coming in between Bridgeport (139,910) and New Haven (124,829). A sizable city in the midst of a redevelopment campaign, Hartford has plenty on offer for anyone looking to launch a hospitality career.
A Hospitable Environment
Hartford's recently experienced major revitalization has local and national developers pouring money into the city through a variety of projects, many of which include restaurant and hotel development.
• Adriaen's Landing: Includes the 540,000 square foot Connecticut Convention Center, the
largest meeting center between New York and Boston. Next door is the 22-story, 409 room
Marriott Hartford Hotel-Downtown.
• Hartford 21: Site of the Hartford Civic Center Mall, along with 45,000 square feet of
retail space.
• Rentschler Field: Dontated land to be used for technology, entertainment, lodging, and
retail development.
Consuming Work
From Trinity College, one of the nation's oldest colleges to the recently opened Connecticut Culinary Institute, you'll have your choice from among a range of Connecticut's universities, colleges, or institutes located in Hartford. But nothing teaches better than experience. Hartford dishes up plenty of options for the ambitious hospitality management student who seeks out new restaurant experiences as either a patron or employee.
• To become better aquainted with the business of international cuisine, explore
Hartford's manys Japanese, Cajun, Brazilian, and Mexican restaurants. Or spend some time
in one of the numerous Italian bakeries and merchants in Little Italy.
• Indulge the entrepreneur in you, and check out the likes of Waiter Wheels, a service
delivering food from a variety of restaurants that don't normally deliver.
• Become familiar with regional fare by spending some time in the local inns and taverns
that serve up traditional New England fare.
• Develop your palate in Hartford by visiting one of Connecticut's wineries, where you can
sample vintages that have won silver medals at the Tasters Guild International Wine
Judging.
With all the new hotels and restaurants added to a well-established base of international and local venues, Hartford's amenities make the perfect recipe for a hospitality career.
Sources
About.com, Hartford
Census.gov
City of Hartford
About the Author
H.L. Staples has written articles for the Boston Review, Denver Quarterly, and Georgia Review, among other publications. She has degrees from the University of Georgia and Syracuse University.