2020 Scholar – Elizabeth Forkuoh
Elizabeth Forkuoh from Gleneagles in Scotland was named the Gold Service Scholarship’s 2020 Scholar on 12 February at a gala reception and presentation at The Berkeley in London.
Elizabeth’s background in hospitality started at Stradey Park Hotel in Llanelli, South Wales, where she was a part-time Waitress while a student. She then joined Gleneagles in 2017 as a Chef de Rang in the Strathearn Restaurant, progressing to Head Waitress in 2018, FBS Junior Assistant Manager in mid-2019, and Assistant Restaurant Manager in February 2020.
“All eight winning Finalists deserve their place, and judging at this level is so difficult when the quality is so high. Elizabeth shone through with very rounded characteristics, and impeccable social skills. She has earned her crown as a talented Scholar.”
As the new Scholar, Elizabeth will now enjoy a range of prizes with personalised opportunities to broaden her hospitality experience, including work placements overseas and in the UK, as well as a “stage” at either Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle for a State Visit, a tailored educational course on Hotel & Restaurant Management at the Lausanne Hotel School, and a visit to Laurent Perrier in Champagne.
Multi-lingual Elizabeth (her native language is Italian, but she also speaks French, and Tiwi – Ghanian) is passionate about haute cuisine, particularly French and Italian, and is a keen volleyball fan.
Her professional achievements are multi-faceted, including being an Annual Award of Excellence Winner in 2018, as well as national Winner of the British Educational Award (in the Vocational category) in 2017, and the Medallion of Excellence in Restaurant Service at WorldSkills Abu Dhabi in 2017. She has polished her front-of-house skills over the past few years in conjunction with WorldSkills UK, with “stages” in 2016 and 2017 at Le Gavroche, The French at The Midland, The Ritz and Cliveden House.
Describing her approach to the front-of-house working challenges, Elizabeth explains: “Focused attention to detail and efficiency are paramount in my role, as well as constantly improving our service standards. I set high expectations for myself to keep learning and improving my skills along with encouraging my team to strive for excellence.”
A special commendation was given for consistent performance throughout the competition:
Lauren Frid
Bar Boulud, Mandarin Oriental London (Restaurant Supervisor)
The other Winning Finalists in this years’ competition are:
Rémy Baben
Wild Honey St James, Sofitel London (Assistant Restaurant Manager & Wine Buyer)
Claudio Bosio
The Waterside Inn, Bray, (Assistant Maître d’Hôtel)
Clement Gosselin
Jean-Georges at The Connaught London (Head Waiter)
Stephen Kelly
The Royal Household, Buckingham Palace (Footman)
Andreia Monteiro
Randolph Hotel, Oxford (Conference & Banqueting Supervisor)
Andrea Nuninger
The Scarlet Hotel, Newquay (Restaurant Host)
