AUGUST 2018
The aim of this report is to document the activities undertaken, learning outcomes and achievements
accomplished during my year as Gold Service Scholar. This is the second in a series of four quarterly reports
commissioned by the Trustees of the Gold Service Scholarship (GSS). The activities are listed in
chronological order:
WSET Level 2 Award in Wines and Spirits, 4-6 June
I was particularly looking forward to this Scholar prize as I have recently been very keen to gain more
knowledge about wine, which I was sure to gain through this course. It indeed was a very interesting
course with engaging lecturers, a holistic overview about viticulture, winemaking process, grape varieties
and where wine is grown globally. Not to forget the almost 80 wines we tasted over these three days –
yes, the struggle was real! There was a little bit of studying involved before and during the course, which
paid off as I passed the exam with distinction. Over these three days, I learnt more than I was hoping for
and I was able to use my knowledge straight away back at work.
Tea Masterclass at the London School of Tea + Afternoon Tea at the Dorchester, 13 June
My knowledge about tea is fairly limited so this was a great learning opportunity for me. I
believe knowledge about tea is very important as guests tend to know less about tea than about other
beverages, so being able to provide that extra service is a big plus. We learnt more about the global
growing areas, the production method after harvesting and certain tips on what to pay attention to in
both, distinguishing a high-quality tea from an average one as well as brewing different teas. This was
delivered in a way that I could use the gained knowledge straight away at work. The day was rounded off
with a lavish afternoon tea at The Dorchester, during which we were joined by a number of Scholarship Trustees. The entire day fully exceeded my expectations.
Cateys, 3 July
It was a great honour being invited to this year’s Cateys Award Ceremony. I was simply looking forward
to attending this special event and was hoping to connect with some peers from the industry. I then had
a great table where I met a few general managers, some younger ones and some more seasoned ones,
who inspired me with their stories and passion for the hotel industry. It was very impressive to see how
smoothly this huge event was run! One of the main highlights was to see my fellow Scholars and some of
our Trustees.
I would like to thank all Trustees for their support during the second quarter. I would like to also thank for
your enthusiasm and support with regards to my move to the United States. My report of Q3 will cover
some of my experiences here in California.
