By Denis Sheehan MIH, Publisher, H&C News: UK’s top hospitality apprentices recognised at Purple Umbrella Awards.
More than 14 awards were handed out to the country’s top apprentices at the prestigious Purple Umbrella Awards held at The Savoy Hotel in London, recognising their commitment to the hospitality industry.
The awards, hosted by Umbrella Training, which is this year celebrating its tenth anniversary, were presented to talented chefs, staff, supervisors and managers for their commitment to lifelong learning and their achievements over the past 12–18 months.
Home Grown Hotels – best known for The Pig group of hotels – walked away with a clutch of awards as the industry came together to celebrate apprentices from across the hotel, restaurant and foodservice sectors.
Alongside category winners, the overall Purple Umbrella winners included Kyle Bishop, a Level 2 chef apprentice at The Pig at Combe in Devon; Maria Elizabeth Sousa, deputy head housekeeper at The Pig on the Beach in Studland, Dorset; and her colleague at the hotel Nichola Davis was recognised with a Purple Umbrella Award for her hospitality passion. Several other Pig apprentices also came highly commended in their categories.
Lorraine Copes, founder of Be Inclusive Hospitality, received the Special Award for her work accelerating race equity across the hospitality, food and drink sector.
Other award winners included Hannah Buckmaster, an apprentice at the Royal Household; Cristiana Pirinu, bar supervisor at Brown’s Hotel; Edgar Kamykov, bar waiter at The Berkeley in London; and Tom McMillan, food and beverage manager at the Park Plaza London Waterloo.
Umbrella Training founder Adele Oxberry said: “Despite all that is going on in the sector at the moment, we have been blown away by the commitment to continuous learning we have seen over the last twelve months.
“We have some incredibly talented people working in our sector and, together with some inspirational employers, we know the future of the sector is in good hands.”
Kate Nicholls, chief executive, UKHospitality, said: “Huge congratulations to all of the winners and finalists of the Purple Umbrella Awards. Every single individual is a credit to their establishment and the UK hospitality industry as a whole.
“Apprenticeships are vitally important for hospitality. Not only do they offer a viable and meaningful route into the industry, but they also offer crucial learning opportunities for those already pursuing a career in the sector.”
Apprentices were nominated for the awards by their employers and winners selected by a panel of hospitality experts.
The full list of winners included:
- Best Level 2 apprentice: Josiah Henry, The Ritz London Hotel
- Best Level 2 chef apprentice: Kyle Bishop, The Pig at Combe (Home Grown Hotels)
- Best Level 3 apprentice: Maria Elizabeth Sousa, The Pig on the Beach (Home Grown Hotels)
- Best Level 3 chef apprentice: Megan Bryson, Thyme Hotel
- Best Level 5 apprentice: Emma Duke, CH&CO – Gather & Gather
- Best Level 5 apprentice – Business & Development: Anna Chrzastek, Farncombe Estate – Dormy House & Foxhill Manor
- Alumni: Jules McEachern, CH&CO
- Best non-Umbrella apprentice: Marcus Hitchings, The Goring
- Special Award: Lorraine Copes, Be Inclusive Hospitality
- Promoting Hospitality Careers: Hannah Buckmaster, Royal Household
- Hospitality Passion: Nichola Davis, The Pig on the Beach (Home Grown Hotels)
- Hospitality Resilience: Selina Coombes, Luxury Family Hotels – Ickworth Hotel
- Leader in D&I in Hospitality: Tom McMillan, PPHE Hotel Group
- Continuous Learning in Hospitality: Cristiana Pirinu, Brown’s Hotel
- Hospitality Dedication: Edgar Kamykov, The Berkeley
Having attended the evening it really is a very special occasion where apprentices are rightly recognised for their amazing contribution to hospitality. Well done to all nominees, all the winners, Adele and her team at Umbrella Training for organising and hosting, and of course a wonderful evening of hospitality delivered impeccably by the team at the Savoy Hotel.
