What good looks really looks like – an interview with GSS Trustee, Conor O’Leary
1. You’ve worked your way from London’s restaurant and bar scene to leading some of the world’s most celebrated hospitality businesses. Looking back, what have been the defining moments in your career? I’ve been incredibly fortunate to spend my career working alongside brilliant people in some truly spectacular properties. Every step of my journey has […]
Inside our annual Scholars’ Lunch with Our 2026 Scholar, Joel Pennington
This year, we were proud to announce Joel Pennington as our 2026 scholar. Every year, our winning scholar has the opportunity to meet with our trustees at Coutts Bank for the scholars’ lunch to celebrate their achievement and discuss the upcoming learning opportunities and mentoring they will enjoy in the coming year. Joel enjoyed an […]
Voices of Leadership: Exclusive Interviews and Highlights from This Year’s Awards Ceremony
If you would like to hear more about this year’s awards ceremony, we had the opportunity to speak with our chairman, Alastair Storey. He shared his insights into the outstanding talent we saw among this year’s scholarship candidates and highlighted the continued support for and success of the Gold Service Scholarship, which has proven to […]
Celebrating Success: Joel Pennington Named 2026 Scholar at Claridge’s Awards Ceremony
The energy at our awards ceremony at Claridge’s was fantastic, and we were delighted to announce Joel Pennington as our 2026 scholar. We spoke with Joel and his family about what this achievement means to them. Following the awards ceremony, Joel was invited to join the Trustees for lunch at Coutts Bank, where Executive Chef […]
Celebrating Excellence: 2026 Awards Finalists Share Their Stories and Emotions
At our recent 2026 awards ceremony, there was a combination of nerves and excitement as our winning finalists gathered to celebrate their achievements. We caught up with some of them to capture their thoughts on the event. In conversations with our winning finalists, they expressed their feelings leading up to the ceremony. Notably, Harry Blackhall […]
Get To Know Our 2026 Winning Finalists: Personal Stories and Insights from This Year’s Top Finalists
Want to learn more about this year’s winning finalists? We sat down with them to discover what makes them tick, from their biggest service no-no’s to what they might be doing if they weren’t working in hospitality. Follow the links below to meet each of our finalists and explore their stories in more detail. Getting […]
Inaugural Team Gold Event: An Interview with Cav. Diego Masciaga
Diego Masciaga is synonymous with service. Having spent more than 40 years in the industry (30 at with at the three-star Waterside Inn in Bray), he has welcomed the good and the great with his inimitable Italian warmth. As one of the most vocal advocates of the profession, Diego was the first-ever speaker at the […]