The grape hope

We don’t really associate youth with commitment. True, they do feel a sense of duty to their hair and loud music, but not to work – that’s for adults. However, meeting 23-year-old Etienne Farrugia will make you stop, think and change your mind. Etienne graduated in hotel management from the Institute of Tourism Studies in 2010. He is full of life and it’s a joy to listen to him talk passionately about his studies, wine, work and hospitality in general. He even speaks highly of his lecturers, a rare thing for a young man. When I ask Etienne where he gets this passion from his answer is immediate: “ITS gave me knowledge and nurtured in me a love of food, management and especially wine. They gave me the opportunity to find out what suits me best and what I’m best at doing.” When he was still in his final year at ITS, Etienne started working at Zeri’s Restaurant in Portomaso where he is supervisor reporting only to the manager. He now handles anything connected to wine at the restaurant, from orders for the restaurant to wine promotions and of course recommending to patrons what goes best with the food they order. During his time at ITS, Etienne enrolled in some basic wine courses and...