Seedlings Hoi An – The Restaurant that changes Lives In Press Releases | on January 17, 2014 Hoi An, Vietnam, November 2013 Celebrating local culture while providing career opportunities to disadvantaged youth, Seedlings is the symbolic bridge to a successful profession in adulthood for disadvantaged youth across Vietnam. With the opening of Seedlings restaurant in Hoi An, selected students have the opportunity to learn and grow in one of Vietnam’s most charming World Heritage sites, under the guidance of the globally-renowned hospitality group Banyan Tree Holdings. As a joint initiative between KOTO and Laguna Lăng Cô, Banyan Tree Holdings’ latest integrated resort, Seedlings restaurant is now home to 14 KOTO trainees, including soon-to-graduate Pham Van Bao. Growing up begging with his blind father and living rough during his teens on the streets of Hanoi, Bao never imagined he would one day celebrate completing his training program in the old town of Hoi An at the age of 19. Serving up traditional Vietnamese fare such as “cao lau” and “banh vac”, Seedlings is fast becoming a vibrant social spot for Banyan Tree and Angsana resort guests, tourists and locals alike within the UNESCO-listed 15th century riverside port town of Hoi An. The first restaurant to be launched under this type of private and social sector partnership in Hoi An, Seedlings provides an invaluable ‘real-life’ training ground to disadvantaged youths, fusing the ideals of KOTO’s ‘Know One Teach One’ vocational and life skill training supported by the Laguna Lăng Cô five-star hospitality standard.
Bao was one of the first KOTO trainees to train at Seedlings. After graduation, Bao plans to become a leader for new KOTO trainees, a choice he would never have imagined having five years ago when he was living on the streets. “At Banyan Tree, the serving standard is very high. Supervisors expected strong delivery and paid attention to all trainees, so it was an incredible learning experience,” said Bao. The Seedlings project is part of Banyan Tree’s core philosophy of operating as a socially responsible business committed to the communities and culture it operates in. With the opening of the new hospitality development at Laguna Lăng Cô, Banyan Tree Holdings has demonstrated its corporate social responsibility ethos with the formation of the valuable partnership with KOTO, an Australian-Vietnamese not-for-profit social enterprise supporting disadvantaged youth with vocational training programs in hospitality. KOTO trainees participating in the Seedlings project spend the last six months of their 24-month vocational training program at the restaurant and Laguna Lăng Cô. KOTO trainees have a 100% employment rate upon graduation and work in five-star hotels, resorts and restaurants around Vietnam and the world.
SEEDLINGS 41 Nguyen Minh An ward, Quang Nam Tel: +84 (0) Email: Seedlings-HoiAn@lagunalangco.com
Phuc
Chu Hoi province, 510
An 392
RESTAURANT street, city, Vietnam 1565
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