From the Classroom to the Global Stage: Why It’s Time to Vote for The Swiss Hotel School SA!
10 July 2026
The Swiss Hotel School South Africa
Every year, hospitality students are tested in classrooms, practical assessments, and industry placements. But once a year at the Swiss Hotel School (SHS), the challenge becomes something far more real.
They don't just study hospitality.
They build a restaurant.
For nearly two decades, SHS's Restaurant Project has given final-year hospitality and culinary students the opportunity to design, launch, manage, and operate a fully functioning pop-up restaurant. It's not a simulation. It's a real business with real investors, real customers, real financial targets, and real consequences.
This year, that restaurant is 33 on Bond – Raising the Stakes.
Recently, I sat down with third-year Hospitality Management student Megan Develin, one of the student leaders behind this year's project, to talk about what makes this year's concept different—and why this project is about so much more than serving great food.
Learning by Leading
One of the greatest strengths of hospitality education is that theory only takes you so far.
Real confidence is built through experience.
As Megan explained, every student has already completed industry internships in hotels and restaurants before returning to campus. The Restaurant Project is where those experiences come together.
Students apply everything they've learned—from operations and finance to service, marketing, leadership, and teamwork—to create a business from the ground up.
They develop the concept.
They write the business plan.
They pitch to investors.
They secure funding.
Then they spend four weeks running a restaurant as if their careers depend on it.
Because, in many ways, they do.
More Than Managers
One of the most interesting developments this year is the leadership structure.
Instead of appointing a single general manager, the students chose a three-person management team, recognising that leadership isn't about one individual having all the answers.
Each manager brings different strengths.
One is people-focused.
Another is highly analytical.
Another excels at decision-making under pressure.
Supporting them is a dedicated HR team introducing employment-style contracts, individual development goals, and regular leadership discussions.
Students aren't simply learning how to manage a restaurant.
They're learning how to manage people.
Why a Steakhouse?
After years of Mediterranean, Asian, and fine dining concepts, this year's students wanted to create something that felt unmistakably South African.
Their answer?
A premium steakhouse.
But not just steaks.
The menu embraces everything South Africans love about dining out—quality steaks, ribs, gourmet burgers, hearty flavours, rustic interiors, and warm hospitality.
The result is 33 on Bond, a restaurant designed around the simple idea that great food should bring people together.
Listening Before Cooking
Rather than guessing what customers wanted, the students conducted market research.
More than 180 people completed their survey.
The findings surprised them.
While many South Africans aren't dining out as often as they once did, they are willing to spend more when the experience is worth it.
Guests don't just want a meal.
They want theatre.
They want interaction.
They want memorable moments.
Table-side service, carving stations, flambé dishes, and personalised hospitality all ranked highly with respondents.
The message was clear.
People are paying for experiences—not just food.
Hospitality Is Still About People
One of the most fascinating parts of our conversation centred on technology.
Artificial Intelligence is transforming reservations, marketing, forecasting, and administration.
But Megan believes the human element is becoming even more valuable.
Guests don't remember automated booking confirmations.
They remember the receptionist who greeted them by name.
They remember the waiter who noticed they were having a difficult day.
They remember the unexpected birthday surprise waiting in their room.
Those are the moments that create loyalty.
Technology can improve efficiency.
People create memories.
Pressure Creates Professionals
Running a restaurant isn't always glamorous.
Anyone who's worked in hospitality knows kitchens can become intense environments where emotions occasionally boil over alongside the food.
Megan shared a memorable internship story involving a guest requesting a completely different sauce after ordering a dish, resulting in a heated exchange between front-of-house and kitchen staff.
Looking back, it's funny.
At the time, it wasn't.
But experiences like these teach students something every hospitality professional eventually learns:
Problems are inevitable.
How you solve them defines your career.
The Experience Economy Is Here
Consumers today aren't simply looking for somewhere to eat.
They're looking for somewhere to remember.
That shift has accelerated dramatically over the past few years.
People may dine out less frequently, but when they do, they expect exceptional food, outstanding service, and meaningful experiences.
This year's Restaurant Project embraces exactly that philosophy.
Everything—from the menu and décor to service style and guest interaction—has been designed around creating memorable moments.
Why This Project Matters
The Restaurant Project is far more than a university assignment.
It prepares students for the realities of leadership.
They learn budgeting.
Conflict resolution.
Marketing.
Operations.
Human resources.
Financial accountability.
Customer experience.
And perhaps most importantly, they discover that hospitality is ultimately about people.
Because while restaurants serve food, great hospitality creates connection.
Experience It for Yourself
33 on Bond – Raising the Stakes will operate from 16 September to 11 October, opening Wednesday to Sunday, with special events, themed evenings, Sunday lunches, and Heritage Day celebrations planned throughout its four-week run.
Behind every reservation is a team of passionate students applying three years of learning to create something truly special.
If you'd like to experience the future of hospitality, this is your opportunity.
Support the next generation of hospitality professionals—and enjoy an exceptional meal while you're there.
Because sometimes the best restaurants aren't just run by professionals.
They're built by future leaders.
Final Thoughts
Hospitality education is about far more than learning how to run a restaurant.
It's about developing leaders who understand business, teamwork, resilience, and above all, people.
Projects like 33 on Bond give students the opportunity to turn theory into reality and passion into performance.
And if Megan and her classmates are anything to go by, the future of hospitality is in very capable hands.