Semi finalists for 2020 Gold Service Scholarship announced

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The 2020 Gold Service Scholarship has announced the 47 candidates that have made it to the semi finals.

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