Sesethu Masika

Sesethu Masika is building a bright future in the culinary world. A 2021 graduate of the International Hotel School’s Professional Cookery Programme, Sesethu has steadily grown her career from internship to full-time roles at respected establishments. With a strong foundation from IHS and a passion for her craft, she continues to thrive in South Africa’s vibrant hospitality industry.

“I’m Sesethu Masika and a Culinary Arts Professional Cookery graduate of the International Hotel School. I graduated in 2021.

International Hotel School paved a great path for me in the Hospitality industry by ensuring that I got the placement of my choice so I could learn better. Shortly after completing my internship at the Vineyard Hotel in 2022, I became employable and never spent a month without a job offer.

I started working in Durbanville at Tables at Nitida as a Demi Chef de Partie in cold kitchen in 2022. Whilst working there, I still received multiple offers and interviews from multiple employers such as Groot Constantia and Table Bay Hotel.

In 2024, I started working as a Pastry Chef at the Mount Nelson hotel. To this day, IHS still constantly sends me employment emails. This is the best school, and it does not forget about its students and alumni.”

From her first role as a Demi Chef de Partie to her current position as a Pastry Chef at the Mount Nelson hotel, Sesethu’s journey shows how dedication and the right support can open doors. For aspiring culinary students, her path is a reminder that with hard work and determination, opportunities will follow.

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The International Hotel School is by far the best educational institute I have been to. The moment you enter the door, you're welcomed with such warmth and are assisted up to your satisfaction, the warmth I mentioned is not only from the IHS staff but all students as well. The best part is the luggage of opportunities after finishing your studies, it's the cherry on top!

My experience at International Hotel School was absolutely amazing. When you choose to go into something and you have the full understanding of what you have envisioned for your career, everything falls into place. The greatest challenge I faced was escaping my comfort zone seeing as I always wanted to stand out.

Straight after high school I went to study at The International Hotel School, one of the best decisions I made. There I met young people from all backgrounds, cultures & countries and that was the beauty of the school. The culinary industry is so diverse so getting to experience & learn with other passionate young people was truly amazing.

As a Maritzburg boy all I wanted to do was explore and travel through hospitality and International Hotel School allowed me to do just that within South Africa! My most incredible work achievements so far were firstly working at The Oyster Box Hotel which International Hotel School exposed me to, and now working at Phinda Private Game Reserve. Within a year I had my first promotion and now I’m running my own beautiful lodge! International Hotel School helped me along my hospitality pathway!

A career in hospitality was always a childhood dream and this led me to study Hospitality Management at the International Hotel School . My journey would have not been possible without the teachings from IHS which firmly provided a strong foundation for me to build upon.

The International Hotel School has given me fantastic opportunities and pushed me to better myself even years after I had finished my traineeship and for that I will always be grateful. If you work hard and push through the tough times, I guarantee that on graduation night you will feel your own accomplishments and you will have a better understanding of the opportunities that await you in the future.

I graduated from the International Hotel School and have never looked back. What I learned while studying and working in the hospitality industry is something that one could only wish for. Not only did it open so many doors, but it filled me with knowledge and understanding of various worldwide cultures. With all this at my fingertips and the experience that I had gained during this time, I was able to open my own successful company.

With the courses at International Hotel School you leave with more than a Diploma; you leave with an amazing experience, friendships and knowledge. My wish for all the students is think out the box. Don’t let where you come from or where you stay ever limit you from seeing the world.

Being part of International Hotel School already sets you apart from most people in the workplace. Working in the hospitality industry means your interpersonal skills are well developed and you are able to interact on a level that peers might still need to get used to. Use your skills to your advantage, it will set you apart from the rest. International Hotel School is a great place to start!

The International Hotel School provided me with the necessary experience and knowledge to flourish in the hospitality industry. It is because of IHS, that I gained first-hand experience in an industrial kitchen and was thus prepared for my future life as a chef. The International Hotel School equipped me with industry-related knowledge and skills that remain invaluable in every kitchen I work in. It was truly the best choice I made on the path to my career as a successful chef.

To all the students who have registered this year, you need to realise that the International Hotel School provides you with the best platform in South Africa to excel in the hospitality industry globally. With the correct mental attitude and networking abilities you can go anywhere in the world once you have graduated. Keep your head down, work hard and let your life be taken into 6th gear.

I loved the Traineeship programme. It gave me the chance to get a true feel for the industry while studying. I was therefore better prepared for the expectations of the industry when I graduated, so that its demands did not come as a shock to me.
Winner - Best Afternoon Tea in London (Harden’s London Restaurant Awards 2016)

The International Hotel School opened many doors for me throughout my studies and gave me the opportunity to work abroad in Europe and in the United States. The dedicated lectures made campus life fun and interesting with their own industry experience, ensuring we had the best backing to enter the industry with. With subjects that are designed to cover course work that is used daily in the hospitality industry like Housekeeping shift duties to Front Office Night Audit, it made working in the industry easier with all the hours in the classroom paying off.
If a job that is ever changing and challenging is interesting to you, I highly recommend becoming part of our IHS Family.

The International Hotel School gave me a solid academic foundation to kick-start my exciting career. It further succeeded in ensuring that I was well-groomed through its well-structured in-service training programme. The interactions and lessons learned from the various managers at the Royal Hotel in Durban are what guided me to what I have become today.

Together with theory and practical experience, I have been given the knowledge and understanding to own my own hotel/restaurant/coffee shop or resort.

My most memorable moment working in the hospitality industry has been working onboard the Seabourne Legend cruise liner; traveling the world and meeting people from different cultures. The interview for Seabourne Legend was through International Hotel School so I will be forever be grateful.

International Hotel School lecturers are very caring and want everyone to do well, they will equip you with everything you need to pass very well - all you have to do is show up prepared in class and for exams. Show up and do well for yourself because it will definitely pay off at the end. Be an achiever.