The Gold Service Front of House Scholarship

A dedicated group of service professionals, including Willy Bauer, John Davey, Silvano Giraldin, Edward Griffiths and Sergio Rebecchi, have launched a new UK scholarship for front of house professionals called The Gold Service Scholarship.

Backed by BaxterStorey, The Gold Service Scholarship is a new and bold initiative designed to inspire a new generation of young people to make a professional career out of front of house hospitality. Competitors will receive support along the way from an elite group of mentors to help them develop their skills into the ‘stand out’ service professionals of the future. For the winner: a year of mentoring; educational training, travel and work experience delivered personally by the best in the business.
The competition to become the first scholar is open from today, for anybody working in the UK in any aspect of restaurant service, including hotels, restaurants, contract catering, licensed hospitality and clubs, who is between the ages of 22-30 years old. Entrants have until midnight on Monday 19th November 2012 to apply online – for full details see the website: www.thegoldservicescholarship.co.uk

Just a few of those involved include:

• Willy Bauer, OBE – Chairman, AB Hotels
• John Davey – The John Davey Consultancy
• Silvano Giraldin – Director, Roux Restaurants
• Edward Griffiths, LVO, Deputy Master of the Household, Buckingham Palace
• Emmanuel Landré – GM, Le Gavroche
• Remy Lyse – COO, The Arts Club
• Michael Newton-Young – Owner, JMK Classic Catering
• Sergio Rebecchi – Director, Incognico / Quirinale
• Fred Sirieix – GM, Galvin at Windows, The Art of Service training board game

The competition is made up of four parts. The first is an online test comprising multiple-choice questions and simple photo analysis.

The second phase involves candidates meeting the judges, performing some basic service tasks and answering more questions to assess their approach and potential.

Finalists will then receive a one-day master class, with personal mentoring to develop their skills to a higher level. The final will take place in February where contestants will show off their service skills to judges and invited guests at a special lunch, with the winner announced at a high profile awards ceremony the same evening.

The winning scholar’s year starts with a special mentors lunch where they will sit down with a group of mentors to discuss the year. This will include their goals, areas of development and strengths so that the right balance of experience and teaching can lift their career to new heights and new directions.

The personalized prize could include work experience with several of the mentors at their establishments: such as Le Gavroche with Emmanuel Landré and Silvano Giraldin or Galvin at Windows with Fred Sirieix. It could mean a trip to a famous vineyard or champagne house with another of the mentors and visits to restaurants to discuss food and wine pairing.

Alastair Storey of BaxterStorey, the UK’s leading independent corporate caterer, has the led the way in terms of sponsorship and more companies and associations are expected to join over the coming weeks. The scholarship is organised in conjunction with The Academy of Culinary Arts and The Academy of Food and Wine Service. It will be an annual event designed to inspire the next generation of service professionals through education and example.
For full details on how to enter as well as how to get involved as an employer or sponsor see our website: www.thegoldservicescholarship.co.uk