The quarter finals were held in London on 25 October at Hotel Café Royal and on 26 October 2021 at The Langham, with an impressive roster of keen young professionals making it through to the semi finals.
"We were pleased that there was a broad geographical draw from Scotland to Southern England,” says Edward Griffiths, trustee and Chairman of the Judges.
“Establishments from a dozen different counties were represented with an equal mix of female and male candidates.”
The group of Judges, which included several industry leaders alongside previous Gold Service Scholars, conducted individual face-to-face interviews, and practical and theory-based assessments.
The semi finals will be held on 22nd November 2021 at Rosewood London, and the finals at Corinthia London in January 2022. The award ceremony to announce the winning finalists and the new Scholar will be in early February 2022 at Claridge’s.
“The enthusiasm of the candidates was captivating, all with a huge appetite to learn through the Scholarship, as well as to network with fellow industry colleagues," says Sergio Rebecchi, GSS trustee.
"With all the stresses and challenges that the pandemic has put on hospitality businesses, these young professionals appear even more determined to raise their skills and enhance their career prospects.
"The Gold Service Scholarship is a perfect mentoring opportunity for passionate and enthusiastic front-of-house talent in food and beverage.”
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 successful candidates progressing to the semi finals are:
- Clemence Armengol, footman, the Royal Household, London
- Charlotte Bailey, assistant head waiter, Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, Great Milton, Oxfordshire
- Julien Beltzung, executive sommelier, the Glenturret Lalique restaurant, Perthshire
- Kilian Betancor, supervisor, Oscar Wilde Lounge, Hotel Café Royal, London
- Aleksandra Boskovski, F&B supervisor, NoMad Hotel London
- Maria Boumpa, head waitress, Da Terra restaurant, London
- Harry Champion, manager, Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, London
- Nadine Elghool, chef de rang, Marcus at the Berkeley, London
- Max Daglish, assistant restaurant manager, Northcote, Langho, Lancashire
- Florian David, head waiter, the Waterside Inn, Bray, Berkshire
- Emma Denney, sommelier, Davies and Brook, Claridge's, London
- Romy Diplexcito, chef de rang, Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles, Perthshire
- Pia Foulser, assistant restaurant manager, Petersham Nurseries, Richmond, Surrey
- Manon Gaillard, senior footman, the Royal Household, London
- Thomas Gammella, restaurant manager, Clockspire restaurant, Milborne Port, Somerset
- Piers Gibson-Birch, sommelier, Restaurant 22, Cambridge
- Cas Groen, sommelier, the Northall, Corinthia London
- Sophie Heyer, restaurant supervisor, the Promenade, the Dorchester, London
- Niamh Holland-Aspinall, head waitress, Henrock at Linthwaite House hotel, Windermere, Cumbria
- Rizwan Khan, general manager, Junsei, London
- Mattia Leonardi, head waiter, the Ritz London
- Riccardo Migliorini, chef de rang, Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester, London
- Thomas Miller, storyteller in training, the Fat Duck, Bray, Berkshire
- Rory Moore, chef de rang, the Northall, Corinthia London
- Andrea Perissinotto, head waiter, Galvin at Windows, London
- Andrea Petrzilkova, restaurant supervisor, the Woodspeen, Newbury, Berkshire
- Valentina Pirri, guest relations manager, Davies and Brook, Claridge's, London
- Gianluca Podda, head waiter, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, Mandarin Oriental London
- Alana Quigley, assistant restaurant manager, the Birnam Brasserie, Gleneagles, Perthshire
- Anne Rasing, restaurant supervisor, Kerridge's Bar & Grill, Corinthia London
- Oliver Ridge, chef de rang, Moor Hall, Ormskirk, Lancashire
- Dawid Szczuck, head waiter, Number One, Balmoral hotel, Edinburgh
- Lupo Thoenes, head sommelier, Hélène Darroze at the Connaught, London
- Jordan Wiltshire, restaurant manager, the Angel, Dartmouth, Devon
