This program really opens up your eyes to the extent of the industry. Going in, I had a lot of experience, but I didn’t know how far I could go and all the opportunities that exist.
Raised in Revelstoke, Spencer started washing dishes at a pub when he was 13. Over the next dozen years he worked in many aspects of the industry from prep cook to bartender to bouncer. In 2018, he enrolled in the School of Hospitality to formalize his training.
After serving five-course meals with wine paring to elite travelers at the Wikaninnish Inn on Vancouver Island, Tapanainen returned from the prized summer work term for a second-year of the program in the fall of 2019.
Upon graduation, he hopes to open his own restaurant or hotel.
"I have a lot of ideas and I want to have an impact."
Learn more about the Resort & Hotel Mangement Program...
Spencer Tapanainen, Resort & Hotel Management Program grad