Lesson video

Hello, my name is Ms. Ramalli and thank you for joining me for this RE lesson.

Today's lesson is the fourth lesson in our unit called Religion and belief in the workplace: how do we work together?

This unit is all about how we might use religion and beliefs to better understand our work and our careers and our environment.

This lesson is called Religion and Worldviews in Hospitality.

Let's start today's lesson.

By the end of today's lesson, you'll be able to explain how and why religious literacy is important for people working in hospitality.

To help us in today's lesson, we have four key words.

Our key words are hospitality, halal, kosher, and religious literacy.

Hospitality is the activity or business of providing welcoming services to guests.

Halal are dietary items permissible for consumption under Islamic law.

Kosher is dietary items permissible for consumption under Jewish law.

And religious literacy is knowledge of how religions, worldviews, and beliefs shape lives.

Today's lesson on religion and worldviews in hospitality takes two parts.

We are gonna start by exploring religious literacy in hospitality.

So let's remind ourself what is meant by religious literacy.

Well, having religious literacy means being able to understand and engage thoughtfully with religion and belief as it is lived and expressed in society.

Religious literacy includes understanding, that religions and beliefs are diverse and they change over time.

They're part of an identity people may have in their jobs and in their social lives.

Well, the hospitality sector is a major employer in the UK.

And around one in 14 jobs in this country connect to hospitality.

Well, hospitality can include being a restaurant or hotel manager.

Housekeeping, an event or wedding coordinator.

It could be bar or waiting staff, or cabin crew and guest relations.

These are just some of the jobs involved in the hospitality industry.

Here we have Izzy and Alex, and they're gonna help us in today's lesson.

Izzy and Alex are discussing career choices.

They're both considering working in the hospitality sector.

Izzy states, "Once we finish school, I want to get a job over the summer.

I have seen that the local hotel is advertising for hospitality staff.

It should be pretty easy work.

" Alex replies.

"I don't think it is easy.

I also think you need good communication skills.

It is good for temporary work though.

People don't stay long working in hospitality.

" What do you think about Izzy and Alex's views?

Do you think they are correct?

Let's pause for a moment.

Select three areas that are included in hospitality.

A, hospital management, B, events coordinator, C, waiting staff, or D, guest relations.

Well done if you selected B, C, and D, as the correct answers.

Izzy and Alex's school is holding a careers fair.

It is a chance for them to interview some people to find out about the skills needed to succeed in the hospitality sector.

Do you think having good religious literacy would be useful?

How and why?

Now we are going to meet some people to find out and explore how having good religious literacy might be useful in the hospitality sector.

Izzy and Alex meet Jamie at the careers fair.

Now Jamie owns his hotel in Kent, and Jamie is also a Christian.

Izzy and Alex ask, "How did you get into hospitality?

What knowledge and skills do you think are important for working in the hospitality sector?

" Jamie says, "I studied leisure and tourism at college.

I started working in hospitality by doing shift work as a waiter during the school holidays.

Communication skills are essential in a public facing role, but religious literacy has played a key role in my success.

" But Izzy and Alex want to know "How is religious literacy relevant to hospitality?

" Jamie says, "In hospitality, you work with a huge variety of people who have different religions and world views.

Having religious literacy can make guests feel more respected.

This helps you give better service and makes everyone feel welcome.

" For example, in my hotel, we have a swimming pool and gym.

We offer women only slots for these, and this is appreciated by our Jewish and Muslim guests.

However, it's also used by other women with a variety of world views.

In my hotel, I also have two separate bar areas, one area where alcohol is served and another area where alcohol is not served or permitted.

How is Jamie showing hospitality to his Muslim guests?

Jamie explains one way that his Christian worldviews impacts his work as a hotel owner.

Jamie says, "I pay my staff a living wage rather than a minimum wage.

A minimum wage is the lowest amount an employer is legally allowed to pay.

While a living wage is the amount someone needs to earn to cover basic living costs, like housing, food, and bills.

The Bible teaches me that workers deserve fair pay.

In 1 Timothy 5:18, it says, "The worker deserves his wages.

This teaches me that paying people properly is part of treating them with respect and dignity.

" Select two ways that religious literacy can beneficial in the hospitality sector.

A, it makes guests feel respected.

B, it can save the company money.

C, it helps gives better service.

Or D, it increased costs.

Well done if you said the correct answers are A and C.

Making guests feel respected and helping give better service are two ways that religious literacy can be beneficial in the hospitality sector.

So now you're gonna have the opportunity to demonstrate your understanding of what we've just learned.

As the owner of a hotel, identify two ways in which Jamie demonstrates religious literacy.

Your answers may look like this.

So one way that he demonstrates religious literacy, he has a swimming pool and a gym, both of which offer women only slots, and he also pays a living wage to his employees.

So now we're gonna move on to the second part of our lesson on religion and world views in hospitality, by exploring applying religious literacy in hospitality.

Izzy and Alex meet Elena at the careers fair.

Now, Elena works in hospitality as a chef.

She has an agnostic worldview.

Izzy and Alex, ask Elena, "How did you get into hospitality?

What knowledge and skills do you think are important for working in the hospitality sector?

" Elena says, "I completed an apprenticeship in hospitality and catering at college.

I'm now qualified as a head chef and work in a kosher restaurant in the City of London.

As a chef, time management is an essential skill, but applying religious literacy has also been important.

" Let's pause and complete a check for understanding, what are the missing words.

Which two skills does Elena say are important skills when working in the hospitality sector?

The two skills that Elena identified as being important are time management and religious literacy.

Well done if you got those answers correct.

Izzy and Alex asks, "How do you apply religious literacy in your job?

" Elena says, "The restaurant where I work caters for Jewish customers.

My customers follow a kosher diet.

As part of my chef training, I've needed to learn about kashrut.

Kashrut are the laws of how to make sure foods are kosher.

There is even a supervisor employed all day every day to ensure I keep the laws of kashrut when I'm cooking.

" Izzy and Alex want to know, well "What is the difference between a regular restaurant and a kosher restaurant?

" Elena says, kosher cooking requires me to know which ingredients as certified as kosher.

There are foods that are not kosher and can never be used.

You would never find pork or shellfish in a kosher restaurant.

Milk and meat are always kept separate.

Kosher restaurants would either be a meat or a dairy restaurant, they would never be both.

" Elena goes on to say, "I also need knowledge on the preparation, handling, and serving of food.

To offer kosher catering, I need to ensure we use appropriate dishes and utensils.

They must only ever be used for meat or for dairy.

They must never have been used for non kosher food.

" Let's pause and complete a check for understanding.

Select the two food sources that would not be included on a kosher menu.

So here we have three images.

Image A represents shellfish.

Image B represents anything sourced from pork.

And image C represents any food sourced from lamb.

Well done if you selected answers A and B, shellfish and pork products would not be included on a kosher menu.

Weddings are an important part of the hospitality sector.

Now, many people get married or have celebrations in hotels.

But how might religious literacy be relevant here?

This is Victoria.

She is an Orthodox Jew who is getting married and she's planning her wedding.

She speaks to Jamie and Elena about it.

Victoria speaks to Jamie and she wants to know, is it possible to provide kosher food for our wedding in your hotel?

Jamie says, "Our kitchen is not kosher usually Victoria.

However, you are very welcome to bring in a kosher catering company for your wedding.

We do this a lot.

And Elena has worked with my hotel many times.

" Victoria asks, "How would this work Elena?

" Elena says, well, "My team and I, would need to go in early in the morning.

We would bring in all of our own utensils and equipment.

We would thoroughly clean the kitchen first.

We would source all the food to ensure it was kosher and make fabulous food for you and your guests.

" The wedding is to be held over a weekend, including Shabbat.

Victoria says, "I always say that Shabbat travels with you wherever you go.

To keep Shabbat as an Orthodox Jew, according to the Torah, we must not create a spark.

This means I need to consider how guests will manage in the hotel over the weekend.

Electric switches are an example where a circuit is created.

Would the hotel be able to accommodate this?

" Jamie replies, "That is no problem.

I understand digital key cards for rooms can cause a problem.

But we have manual keys you can use instead.

Our front entrance has electric doors, but it also has a regular door you can use.

We have stairs as well as a lift, so guests will not have to press a button.

We will ensure that all guests are on the ground or first floor.

" Elena meets with Jamila, and Jamila has a Muslim worldview.

Jamila asks, "Elena, could you cater for a Muslim wedding?

" Eleanor says, "Yes, I can cater for your event.

I will plan a halal menu, which will exclude pork and any foods containing pork products for example, gelatin.

The halal food will be prepared separately using dedicated utensils and ovens to avoid any cross-contamination.

I will also ensure that there is a good supply of non-alcoholic drinks available for your guests.

" Select two ways a hotel might cater for Jewish guests on Shabbat.

A, provide stairs.

B, provide a lift, and C, provide manual doors.

Remember, for this check for understanding, you need to select two options.

Well done if you selected answers A and C.

Two ways a hotel might cater for Jewish guests on Shabbat are by providing stairs and manual doors.

Jamie meets with Mustafa, who has a Muslim worldview.

Mustafa wants to organize a communal iftar for Ramadan at Jamie's hotel.

Iftar is the meal eaten after sunset during Ramadan.

In pairs I would like you to discuss the following questions then when you've had your discussions record your answers.

Why might Mustafa choose Jamie's hotel for his event and what might Mustafa want to ask?

Welcome back.

So your answers may look something like this.

Mustafa might choose Jamie's hotel for his iftar event because Jamie's hotel offers areas where alcohol is not permitted.

This could make Mustafa feel reassured that his guests would feel respected and comfortable.

Mustafa would want to ask Jamie about the food menu on offer for his iftar event.

He would need to know that the restaurant will serve halal food.

This means excluding pork and any foods containing pork products, for example, gelatin from the menu.

Mustafa would also need to check that the halal food will be prepared separately using dedicated utensils and ovens to avoid any cross-contamination.

Well done if your discussions and answers included these points.

So that brings us to the end of today's lesson on religion and worldviews in hospitality.

And here is a summary of our learning today.

The hospitality sector is a major employer in the UK.

Religious literacy in hospitality is relevant because you work with people who have different religions and world views.

Having religious literacy can make guests feel more respected, which helps provide a better service.

Kosher catering includes knowing which ingredients are certified as kosher, using utensils and processes, which is dear to kashrut rules.

And finally, knowing how to provide different dietary menus, for example, halal ensures a wide range of customers can be catered for.

Thank you very much for joining me for the RE lesson today, and I hope to see you again soon.