Jupiter Lights It Up at West London College

Jupiter Humphrey Bishop is proof that if you set your mind to something you can achieve it. The 2023 winner of The Gold Service Scholarship gave a talk to West London College students recently as part of The Chefs’ Forum Academy.

“I started out studying to be a chef at Eastbourne College,” Jupiter told students. “But, during a work placement  experience at The Grand Hotel in Eastbourne I started to see that front of house was just as interesting as the kitchen. My friends all chose to do work placement in a fun cafe. I thought I needed to challenge myself and get out of my comfort zone and so I chose The Grand. I loved it. I absolutely loved it.

“After my time at college they offered me a job and I took it. Now, years later, I am incredibly lucky to have won The Gold Service Scholarship and my life this year, since winning, has been a roller coaster of experiences and public speaking – and it hasn’t finished yet!

“It’s a real privilege to talk to college students about hospitality. It wasn’t that long ago that I would have been sitting in the audience. My goal is to try to explain that I set out with a goal in mind. I liken it to going to the supermarket. If you go shopping without a list then you will wander round the aisles just looking before you make a choice. You might or might not get what you want. But, if you make a list before you go then you will, invariably, find what you are looking for. That’s what I did with my career choices. I decided I was going to see where I could go in the hospitality industry and at every stage I chose to go beyond what I thought I was capable of.

“I later worked at the world-famous Cliveden House in Berkshire as Head Waiter and then I applied to The Royal Household which I thought was a jump too far but was accepted and the rest is history.

“I entered The Gold Service Scholarship on the advice of my peers in The Royal Household and I am so grateful for their support and guidance. Now, I’m on a steep learning curve and so much is coming my way. I’m keen to inspire all young people that hospitality is a rewarding career and if you set your sights high you can achieve anything.

“Part of my prize for winning are some incredible experiences. I’ve been to Champagne to Laurent Perrier. I’ve been to Bangkok to the Mandarin Oriental and I’m about to go to Switzerland to study in Lausanne at a top hotel school. Then it’s off to Portugal to learn about port at Graham’s.

“My job at The Royal Household is as a footman and this means I am working on huge state occasions such as state visits and I’ve already experienced a coronation and a state funeral as well as a garden party.

“There is so much to learn and I’ve also been accepted into the Institute of Hospitality and am serving on the Youth Committee. Seriously, if I can do it… you can too! Aim high, make a list and go for it.”