It features a diverse list of front-of-house professionals, including people working in Michelin-starred restaurants, the Royal Household, top tier catering providers, small independent restaurants and hotels, the Royal Air Force, and a Premier League football club.
The semi finals, which take place on 25 November at Rosewood London, will see the chosen candidates undertake a series of tests, challenges and interviews in a bid to reach the final, which will be held at the Corinthia hotel in London on 13 January 2020.
The 2019 winner was Karen Cross (pictured), assistant restaurant manager at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons in Oxfordshire, who says the scholarship has enabled her to develop her knowledge through many incredible learning experiences.
“Not only have I made many new industry friends, but I have broadened my front-of house skills, including on the wine side, with visits to S A Prum vineyard in Mosel and to Laurent-Perrier in Champagne, as well as passing the WSET Level 2,” she says.
“I also attended a tailored course in Lausanne at the École Hôtelière with the 2019 Finalists, sponsored by the Lord Forte Foundation, where we focused on restaurant management with a fascinating emphasis on the financial side of restaurant operations.”
The Gold Service Scholarship - which counts the Queen as a patron - was launched in 2012 to encourage ‘a lasting heritage of excellence in hospitality’.
The programme celebrates the craft of service, and nurtures young talent through tailored mentoring.
The 2020 Semi Finalists
Alessandro Abbate | Brown’s Hotel
Harry Adair | The Royal Household
Lewis Allport | Middleton Lodge Estate
Alessandro Aprile | Hotel Café Royal
Remy Baben | Wild Honey St James
Romeo Bisacchi | Caractère Restaurant
Karolina Bochniak | Baxterstorey
Claudio Bosio | The Waterside Inn
Caroline Carter | Baxterstorey
Joao Paulo Martins Castro | The Langham Hotel
Harry Champion | Tottenham Hotspur Football Stadium
Andrea Cicconi | Mnky Hse Restaurant And Lounge
Rupert Crick | Belmond Le Manoir Aux Quat’saisons
Giulia D’angelo | Le Gavroche
Marco De Simone | Royal Garden Hotel
Giordano Di Prata | The Dorchester Hotel London
Anthony Di Stasi | Dinner By Heston Blumenthal
Tommy Enright | Rosewood London
Alessia Falco | The Savoy Grill
Elizabeth Forkuoh | Strathearn Restaurant, Gleneagles Hotel
Mariangel Franchy | The Vineyard Hotel And Spa
Lauren Frid | Bar Boulud, Mandarin Oriental London
Greta Gabor | The Capital Hotel
Nicholas Georgoulakis | Elystan Street Restaurant
Clement Gosselin | The Connaught Hotel
Morag Hamilton | Royal Air Force
Patrick Healy | The Berkeley Hotel
Lewis Hunter | Strathearn Restaurant, Gleneagles Hotel
Stephen Kelly | The Royal Household
Ryan Kenyon | The Oxford Blue
Andrea La Cognata | The Fat Duck
Mattia Launech | The Game Bird At The Stafford London
Calvin Luong | Wigmore Hall Restaurant
Michael Maffey | Hide
Mattia Marcelli | Alain Ducasse At The Dorchester
Andreia Monteiro | Macdonald Randolph Hotel
Alessandro Montre | Wild Honey St James
Andrea Nuninger | Wild Honey St James
Giuliano Paolini | Belmond Le Manoir Aux Quat’saisons
Valentina Pirri | Davies And Brook, Claridge’s
Oliver Ridge | The Fordwich Arms
Andrew Shorten | The Foyer And Reading Room At Claridge’s
Beatrice Sorbara | The Goring Hotel
David Szczucki | Number One Restaurant At The Balmoral
Kayleigh Thorogood | L’enclume
Michele Toto | The Ritz London
Alberto Veglio | The Northall Restaurant, Corinthia London
