Front-of-house professionals from all areas of the hospitality industry are being encouraged to enter the Gold Service Scholarship competition as it enters its sixth year.
The nomination process for the competition, which has so far awarded five scholars, including Stephanie Beresforde of Jean-Georges at The Connaught and Jennifer Santner of Lecture Room & Library at Sketch, opens on 4 September 2017.
Edward Griffiths, chairman of the judges, told Hospitality & Catering News that while the standard of applicants improves every year, newcomers should not be discouraged from entering.
“The competition is open to anyone in food and beverage service – wine as well as food – and we encourage them all to enter,” he said. “Of course everyone enters hoping they’ll win, but entering the competition is a great experience for young people to meet others who are striving for excellence and perfection and to see like-minded people in different establishments.”
Griffiths said simply taking part in the Gold Service Scholarship competition, which is open to candidates aged between 20 and 28 and in full-time employment in the UK, can help people improve their careers.
(l to r) Alastair Storey (Chairman), Stephanie Beresford and Edward Griffiths (Chairman of the Judges)“It give them access to high profile and more senior people in the industry who can help mentor them and help them to develop their careers. It’s quite normal to see people entering the competition and not getting through the whole process, but entering again because they feel encouraged by it,” he said.
The Gold Service Scholarship, whose patron is Her Majesty The Queen, is designed to highlight the work done by those front-of-house and ‘remind people hospitality is a marriage of good food and great service’ said Griffiths.
Griffiths, who was deputy master of the Royal Household for 14 years, said successful candidates would be able to demonstrate skill in service, but more importantly be able to provide a warm welcome.
He said: “Service is not just about skill. Of course, it is important to serve someone from the right side, but a great part of it is to do with the warm welcome and the social skills that an individual has. Good food on its own is not enough. You might have an OK meal, but if the service is fantastic you go back.”
Following the nomination entry process, there are two quarter final sessions to be held on 21 and 23 October 2017, with the Semi Final on 21 November 2017, and the Final and Award Ceremony on dates to be confirmed for the end of January and February 2018 respectively.
“With the judging, at every stage we are looking at the presentation, the performance and the social skills of the individuals,” explained Griffiths. “The first stage is online and the second stage is about skill and knowledge, but as soon as we get to the quarter finals we are meeting every candidate and interviewing them as well as putting them through a skills test. It’s so important to be able to not just look somebody in the eye, but equally converse with them.”
All information about applications, and the Scholarship in general, is available here
The winning Scholar, to be announced in February 2018, will benefit from a host of tailor-made prizes and opportunities to broaden their knowledge of food, wine and service. These will include a trip to Champagne Laurent-Perrier in France, the option of work placements in both the UK and abroad, including a three-day stage during a State Visit at Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle, a Berry Bros & Rudd wine lecture and dinner, plus PR, marketing and social media tutoring, and numerous other vital opportunities appropriate to the celebration of their win and the progress of their career.