The Distell Inter Hotel Challenge celebrates its 10th year in 2022 - and through thick and thin, the Showcook team of Annette Kesler and Chania Morrit-Smith have managed to continue and grow this incredible uplifting hospitality program, ensuring that training, product knowledge, professionalism is the focus. Distell has been the naming sponsor now since inception, and we hope they continue to support this incredible uplifting program, even though their wine portfolio for the program has shrunk considerably over the last few years. Great to see the premium brands Nederburg, Durbanville Hills, JC le Roux and Pongrácz in attendance though! I attended one of the Grape to Glass educational days at Nederburg and some of my team joined them the next day at Van Ryn’s Distillery for more interesting spirit content. There are 25 hotels from all around South Africa participating this year, with the focus is very much on education, immersion and product knowledge about the wine and spirits environment. The lucky participants also spent a day at Van Ryns Brandy, where they learn more about South Africa's top brandies, and also heard from the king of whiskey - Andy Watts - from Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky and Three Ships Whisky. So good to see Cape Wine Academy and Jean Vincent Ridon from Sommeliers Academy doing their bit to train the future of South Africa's hospitality staff. Wanda Cronje from the Cape Wine Academy presented on wine knowledge, and even in my old age I learnt a few things! Kerry Sutherland from Riedel also gave an insightful presentation on glassware. We were blown away by the different glasses for different varieties - and how it affects the flavours? Good luck to all the candidates, and the winners will be announced at the inimitable glittering affair on 1 Dec 2022 at The President Hotel. wine.co.za has been a proud supporter of the Distell Inter-Hotel Challenge since inception, and our Spotlight Page is a great way to kee up to date with all things Distell Interhotel Challenge - click HERE #Distell #InterHotelChallenge2022 The core objectives that lie at the heart of the Distell Inter-Hotel Challenge, now in its tenth year with +-25 top hotels on board from Mount Nelson in Cape Town, The Palace of the Lost City to the Beverly Hills in Durban, remain unchanged. We are about mentorship for the next generation in hospitality in South Africa, broadening horizons and providing inspiration for career growth. The young men and women we meet as candidates throughout the Challenge are the same individuals who go on to become mainstays in South Africa‘s hospitality industry. Hospitality is the backbone of tourism. Tourism is a core industry of South Africa. Without mentorship programmes like this, and the passionate commitment of the hotels and their management, sommeliers, executive chefs, farmers, food producers and educators across the disciplines, our hotel industry would not be able to sustain the high standards by which we are known around the globe. The intention of the Challenge is to build specialist skills across the hospitality industry while exposing winners to international best-in-class practice in their area of expertise. These are absolutely foundational steps in advancing greater inclusivity in our tourism sector and that will aid its recovery.