Suffolk-based hospitality company, The Chestnut Group, has launched an exciting new Hospitality Academy to identify and nurture the next generation of leaders in the industry. The Academy’s two-year Trainee Programme promises hands-on operational and leadership training, and the offer of a full-time managerial position in The Chestnut Group on completion.
The Chestnut Group aims to recruit up to four trainees each year, making the Academy key to the company’s goal of becoming one of the country’s leading employers and innovators while setting new benchmarks in hospitality experiences.
The two-year Programme will be split into six-month posts across each area of the business. From front-of-house training and shadowing Michelin-quality chefs to sommelier tuition and marketing masterclasses, The Chestnut Group will give trainees a 360° insight into how to deliver a premium hospitality experience.
They will be guided by the very best in the industry, such as the Group’s new acclaimed Executive Head Chef, Dan Grigg, who achieved Head Chef status at just 25 years of age. Grigg will share with trainees the skills and knowledge that have seen him credited by the AA throughout his career at hotels renowned for their culinary experience.
As well as mentorship from Managing Director Philip Turner, trainees will conclude the Programme by partnering with the Group Management Team. In this phase, trainees will build first-hand knowledge of business management, brand design, digital marketing and promotional campaigns before taking up a full-time position with The Group.
The Chestnut Group is perfectly placed to offer trainees the best insight into hospitality with a growing portfolio of inns, restaurants and hotels. The Group’s first opening was the highly-acclaimed The Packhorse Inn near Newmarket, which has been awarded 3 AA Rosettes and 5 AA stars for its accommodation.
Since then, it has added The Rupert Brooke in Grantchester, The White Horse in Easton (due to open in May 2016) and The Northgate, a boutique restaurant with 9-bedroom accommodation in Bury St Edmunds (opening in the summer of 2016).
Philip Turner, Managing Director at The Chestnut Group, said: “We pride ourselves on creating an exceptional guest experience and that rests on having a committed, passionate and experienced team who are at the top of their game.
“Our trainees do not need previous hospitality experience, just a genuine passion to create a guest experience that is second-to-none. Too often hospitality is seen as a stop-gap rather than a serious full-time option. We want to give people the chance to learn from the very best in the industry and have the opportunity to create a long and meaningful career.”