By Denis Sheehan MIH
If fervour for the hospitality industry could be measured, not only would Jupiter Humphrey-Bishop be the 2023 Gold Service Scholarship’s Scholar, but she would also be crowned our industry’s fervour champion.
I was introduced to Jupiter at Claridge’s in February, where the 2023 Gold Service Scholarship awards took place. We chatted briefly and arranged to meet again to expand the conversation.
Some weeks later we met again in the lobby at The Savoy, where she looked very much at home before we sat down to talk hospitality in the American Bar.
Once the polite small talk was complete and tea served, I asked Jupiter how she entered working in our industry. I was totally unprepared for a 23-year-old to reply demonstrating a quite remarkable outpouring of enthusiasm and passion for hospitality. My surprise centred on how many of her viewpoints belied her experience, how could someone so relatively new to our industry have developed such a seemingly mature outlook.
“Hospitality is an art,” she told me. “It’s the skill of being able to read guests’ body language before anything is even said, the ability to channel positive emotions to turn a guest’s day around for the better, make memories that last, and bring human connections to the table. It is fantastic and completely unique, all brought together with great food and wine.”
While at school aged 15 Jupiter was given the opportunity of work experience at the Grand Hotel Eastbourne. She explained that the experience for her “simply lit a spark for hospitality”. That spark was then nurtured at East Sussex College where Jupiter studied catering and hospitality for three years.
When Jupiter started to explain how she was drawn to front of house the conversation began to glow, she was attracted by the opportunity to engage with people. “The chance to make everyone feel at home from the first moment they arrived all the way through to departure was too good to pass up”, she explained. She focused on honing the art of reading guest expectations and delivering on them. Then summarised her approach with “I love making guests happy”.
She added: “Hospitality is an incredible industry, one where individuals will always continue to learn and grow. Although it can be hard work and long hours, it never fails to be rewarding. I realised when I started working front of house for the first time why I fell in love with the industry, it is all about making others happy, and giving the best experience and memories possible.”
Jupiter’s first full time role saw her return to the source of her inspiration to develop her career in hospitality, the Grand Hotel Eastbourne, where she worked in the hotel’s cocktail bar. She later joined sister hotel, Tylney Hall in Hook, Hampshire, working in the Oak Room restaurant full-time and studying a Level 5 Advanced Diploma in Event Management alongside.
From there she moved to Cliveden House, and at 21 was appointed Head Waiter of the five-star hotel’s three AA rosette restaurant.
Her next move was to The Royal Household, a “steep learning curve but an extraordinary journey” with “outstanding” hospitality standards, she said – her first week in the job was Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee last year.
During her time at the Royal Household, she was encouraged to take part in The Gold Service Scholarship, Jupiter explained “The Gold Service Scholarship is just fantastic for anyone looking for their next step in their career. A national competition providing the next generation with the right skills and knowledge needed. The competition offers winning finalists’ trips around the world to learn all about hospitality, visiting vineyards, work placements in top hotels and training workshops.”
The Gold Service Scholarship seeks to equip young front of house professionals with the skills to reach the top of their profession and drive standards across the sector through the career experiences it offers participants during and after the competition process.
Launched in 2012, the Gold Service Scholarship includes leading figures from across the sector amongst its board of Trustees. These include Alastair Storey, Edward Griffiths, Silvano Giraldin, Sergio Rebecchi, Lydia Forte, Thomas Kochs, Knut Wylde, and Alessandro Fasoli.
Each year’s scholar and winnings finalists benefit from a host of mentoring and placement opportunities including trips to Laurent-Perrier, Graham’s Port in Porto, the opportunity to work a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace, WSET courses, a one-week stage at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Bangkok, and a placement at a top UK restaurant such as the Waterside Inn or Le Gavroche. All finalists also automatically join the Team Gold alumni network.
Winning finalists are also given the opportunity to visit the world-famous Ecole Hoteliere de Lausanne are take part in a bespoke course, developed especially for the scholarship.
“Over the last few years, I am so grateful for my teachers and lecturers encouraging me to step out of my comfort zone and supporting me my passion for continuous learning,” said Jupiter. “I want to take this opportunity of being the 2023 Gold Service Scholar to be able to give back to the industry. I want to help as many people as possible find what they are passionate about and encourage young individuals in the hospitality industry to chase their dreams, just like I was encouraged to.”
I am confident H&C News will be reporting on Jupiter Humphrey-Bishop’s progress in our industry for many years to come.
