On November 19, 2024, the School of Tourism and Hotel Management welcomed Mr. Jamil Jurdak, Hospitality Consultant and Director of Food and Beverage at Intercontinental Mzaar, for an insightful lecture on “Menu Design and Crisis Management”.

With a wealth of experience in the hospitality industry, Mr. Jurdak holds a Master’s degree in International Hotels and Tourism Management from Schiller International University in London. He is an associate member of the Hotel and Catering International Management Association (HCIMA) UK and a three-time winner of the Gold Award for Best Royal Afternoon Tea in the UK.

Dr. Jihane Adeimi, Director of the School of Tourism and Hotel Management, emphasized Lebanese resilience, stating: “If you know how to manage all these crises in Lebanon, you are well-trained to handle any crisis in the world. You may even become immune to despair and an expert in overcoming overwhelming and complex challenges, like a Phoenix rising from the ashes”.

During the lecture, Jurdak emphasized the importance of loyalty to employees, urging hospitality leaders to encourage staff to take their annual leaves and avoid unnecessary contract terminations. He also highlighted the complexities of crisis management in the volatile hospitality industry, particularly in Lebanon, where external economic and political factors often disrupt operations. “If we don’t know how to efficiently manage a team and a hospitality business in a crisis situation, we don’t know how to manage,” Jurdak stated.

He also stressed the value of networking and building reliable partnerships, noting that many businesses in Lebanon have survived the crisis with support from public and private sector partners. Jurdak recommended closely monitoring daily news and forecasting challenges, prioritizing critical supplies like long-shelf-life foods to meet the needs of guests and staff during extended crises. Redesigning menus was also suggested as a strategy to address supply chain disruptions.

The lecture provided attendees with practical tools and strategies to navigate the unpredictable landscape of the hospitality industry, offering valuable lessons on leadership, crisis management, and menu design during times of uncertainty.



​