Sitting with Faculty

Ian Millar

Describe your journey as a professor at EHL and outside of EHL

My inside and outside of EHL have been a very long journey; it has been 20 years that I have been with EHL. A lot has changed; when I started, it was about 100 students. It grew a lot with the expansion of campuses in Singapore and Passugg. During my first few years as a professor, exams were prepared on diskettes; imagine making a diskette per exam for every student. But now, you can see significant digitalization starting with Teams Meeting and online course materials. Everything was paper and books back in the day, and I had to share two printers downstairs amongst all staff and faculty. In terms of outside of EHL, working with the school also helped me expand my knowledge of the hospitality industry, helping me with hospitality techs contact networks and later with the knowledge, bringing that back to EHL into my classroom lectures.

Have you ever collaborated with an EHL alumni for any projects? What are some of the advantages of working with one?

Ian Millar Manager of

Inst. of Business Creativity

& Senior

Lecturer

I have done many, being here for so long! It’s very much a relationship thing, a mentorship role, or even an uncle kind of thing. For example, I got a great group of ex-students whom I am close with, who either come to me for advice or particular projects that they want me to get involved in with assisting and supporting them, sometimes also goes along to giving them career advice and giving my students recommendations based on my network and their strengths. For example, Hotel Hero was doing, helping them out and becoming their backbone. I like to see that as an investment part of EHL and what I take passion in doing. One of the most important lessons you will learn at EHL is that you’re not just paying for the education but also for the network, whereas as an Alumni, you can seek help from the most talented individuals in specific industries. When you graduate, you don’t necessarily leave EHL, but you belong in an industrial part of EHL. To get in more details, a student of mine comes to deliver courses along with me. It is a notion of giving back to the community. That is one of the significant strengths of our school.

In what ways do you think the EHL alumni network is affecting the industry?

Some people call us the Mafia; there’s a lot of great hotel schools, a lot that we work with. There is much competition, but in the end, it’s the hospitality and the way to perfect it. Hospitality is an innate feature; when students come to EHL, they come to perfect it. I’ve walked into airports where I bump into students. The Geographic coverage that our school has is vast. If I go on a trip, I will not look online but rather contact my ex-students or the connection I established while working at EHL. Within the industry in general, you have that connection with people in the same industry. When you say you want to learn hospitality, you’re not, and you just come to this school to perfect it, the willingness to serve. This is where things happen, and when you are in hospitality, there is empathy. We should be very proud of what we have and what the school can offer.

With the upcoming winter holiday, what is your favorite holiday meal? and What are your holiday plans?

My favourite holiday meal would be very traditional. Roast Turkey and as they say all the trimmings! Although I will pass on the Brussel sprouts and go with minted peas! Roast potatoes I always do with a bit of turmeric, gives a great colour and will do for Mrs M my caramelized onions that she really likes and yes I always do the cooking. The day starts with the traditional gin and tonic at 10:00 AM and then into the kitchen for cooking as mise en place is always done the day before. Must have a few mince pies around the house as well as a large tin of Quality Street. End of Christmas day will always be with a jar of Stilton Cheese. Sorry my French friends stilton is the number one cheese!!! As for location will be spending the Christmas time at home. Nice and relaxed. I don’t ski so no trips to the slopes although I do enjoy the occasional day out for trips. My brother may be coming over this year as I have not seen him since 2019 because of COVID and as he will drive that means I can get a restock of all the important British foods you cannot get over here.