The Semi-Final challenge of the Gold Service Scholarship 2018 took place at Rosewood London on 21 November 2017. The Trustees and Judges charged the 32 Semi-Finalists with a series of rigorous tasks throughout the day. After that assessment and great deliberation, the Judges have announced that the eight successful Finalists are (in alphabetical order):
- Laudy Gibba-Smith – Head Waitress, L’Enclume, Cumbria
- Sebastian Koewius – Assistant Room Service Manager, Corinthia Hotel London
- Christian Köhle – Head Waiter, Fera at Claridge’s, London
- Sarah May Coward – Senior Footman of The Glass Pantry, The Royal Household, London
- Beatriz Pinto Da Silva – Butler, The Savoy Hotel, London
- Charlotte Poynton – Sommelier and Assistant Restaurant Manager, The Three Chimneys, Isle of Skye
- Eugenio Simonelli – Junior Maître d’Hotel, Le Gavroche, London
- Michael Staub – Floor Manager, Rosewood, London
The overall objective of the Gold Service Scholarship is to determine the future leaders of the industry at nthis crucial juncture in their career progress. The set tasks for each Semi-Finalist covered all aspects of the front-of-house role, from wine decanting and table layout to service priorities and a general interview to discuss the crucial role of service.
Trustee and Judge Sergio Rebecchi stated: “We are so proud of the growing reputation of the Gold Service Scholarship in just six years. This is proven by the fact that we had a record number of applications from a broad base of hospitality businesses throughout the UK.”
Chairman of the Judges Edward Griffiths also enthused about the Scholarship at this juncture: “This has been an amazing competition so far – the quality has been exceptionally high. The task of whittling down the numbers to get a final eight has been difficult – there are so many talented young people recognising that the Scholarship is a vital step on the ladder to their continued progress in the hospitality industry.”
The eight Finalists will now compete in a new set of tasks at the Finals on 29 January 2018, at Massimo Restaurant at Corinthia Hotel London. The winning Scholar will be announced at the awards ceremony at Claridge’s Hotel on 6 February 2018.
The Gold Service Scholarship was launched to encourage a lasting heritage of excellence in hospitality. The programme celebrates the craft of service and nurtures the young talent through tailored mentoring. The five past Scholars have had impressive progression in their careers to date, due in part to the networks that they established during their association with the Scholarship.
