Joel Pennington named 2026 Gold Service Scholarship Scholar
Joel Pennington, restaurant manager at The Cottage in the Wood, has been named the 2026 Gold Service Scholarship Scholar. Pennington, who works at the single-site Michelin-starred restaurant in Cumbria, was presented with the title at a high-profile event held at Claridges in London yesterday evening. His win highlights the depth of front-of-house talent emerging beyond […]
Customised Professional Development Programme for Winning Finalists
Following the success of earlier customised Executive Education programmes delivered at EHL Hospitality Business School Lausanne in 2019 and 2022, the Gold Service Foundation partnered once again with EHL to deliver a third programme in 2024. This four-day programme brought together 16 Winning Finalists from the 2023 and 2024 cohorts, marking the first time finalists […]
London, Edinburgh, Cumbria, Oxfordshire and Perthshire all represented in 2026 Gold Service Scholarship final
Ten food and beverage front-of-house professionals from across the United Kingdom will compete in the 2026 Gold Service Scholarship final in January. Representing London, Edinburgh, Cumbria, Oxfordshire and Perthshire, the group includes individuals working in hotels, restaurants and a luxury train – highlighting the diverse range roles within the sector. The winning finalists will progress […]
Forty-eight hospitality professionals from across the UK named semi-finalists in the 2026 Gold Service Scholarship
Forty-eight hospitality professionals from across the UK – representing establishments from London to Stirlingshire, Cumbria to Devon – have been named semi-finalists in the 2026 Gold Service Scholarship, the country’s leading award recognising excellence in front-of-house service. Drawn from the UK’s best restaurants, hotels, caterers and private members’ clubs, this year’s semi-finalists come from across […]
Conor O’Leary appointed Trustee of the Gold Service Scholarship
The Gold Service Scholarship has announced the appointment of Conor O’Leary, group managing director of Gleneagles and Estelle Manor, to its board of trustees. O’Leary brings a wealth of experience to the role, having led some of the hospitality industry’s most celebrated operations in the UK and internationally. His career began in London’s bar and […]
An Interview with 2025 Scholar, Isabella Condon
Just a few months have passed since Isabella was named as our 2025 Scholar, we caught up with her to discuss her career, why the sound of somebody’s name is so sweet, and her aspirations for the future. • Tell us about your background, did you always want to work in hospitality? I grew up […]
Isabella Condon named 2025 Gold Service Scholar
Isabella Condon, junior assistant manager at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal in London was named the 2025 Gold Service Scholar on Monday 10 February at an awards ceremony in Claridge’s hotel. Condon, who is originally from Ireland and trained at the Shannon College of Hotel Management, joined the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park London hotel more than […]
Record-breaking 2025 Gold Service Scholarship winning finalists revealed
Ten young front of house professionals from across the UK will be competing in the final of the 2025 Gold Service Scholarship – the highest number of winning finalists since the competition began. Coming from a variety of restaurants, ranging from Perthshire to Berkshire and Sussex to South Armagh, the candidates will go on to compete in the final at Corinthia London on 13 January where they will serve high-profile guests from across the hospitality sector. Winning […]
Gold Service Scholarship 2025 to host biggest ever semi-final
The Gold Service Scholarship 2025 semi-final is set to be the biggest the competition has ever seen with 50 young front-of-house professionals making the next round. The quarter-finals took place in October at the Langham and Hotel Café Royal in London, where candidates were tested on their food and beverage knowledge through interviews, written assessments and a table layout test. Entrants came from across the […]
GSS 2025 Launch
Clare Smyth, Tom Kerridge, Fay Maschler, and TopJaw’s Jesse Burgess will be joined by Marc Socker and Eugenio Pirri speaking at an event marking the launch of this year’s Gold Service Scholarship. Taking place at 3pm on 2 September at the Corinthia London hotel, the event will bring together some of the leading names in the sector to […]