Gold Service Scholarship 2022 semi-finalists announced

The semi-finalists for the Gold Service Scholarship 2022 young hospitality professionals competition have been announced.

The quarter finals were held in London on 25 October at Hotel Café Royal and on 26 October at the Langham.

The group of judges, which included chairman of the judges and trustee Edward Griffiths, conducted interviews, and practical and theory-based assessments.

Griffiths said: "We were pleased that there was a broad geographical draw from Scotland to southern England. Establishments from a dozen different counties were represented with an equal mix of female and male candidates.”

Trustee Sergio Rebecchi added: “The enthusiasm of the candidates was captivating, all with a huge appetite to learn through the Scholarship, as well as to network with fellow industry colleagues. With all the stresses and challenges that the pandemic has put on hospitality businesses, these young professionals appear even more determined to raise their skills and enhance their career prospects.”

The semi-finals will be held on 22 November at Rosewood London and the finals at the Corinthia in January 2022. The award ceremony to announce the new Scholar will be in early February 2022 at Claridge’s hotel in London.

The semi-finalists included:

• Clemence Armengol, footman, the Royal Household, London
• Charlotte Bailey, assistant head waiter, Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, Great Milton, Oxfordshire
• Julien Beltzung, executive sommelier, the Glenturret Lalique restaurant, Perthshire
• Kilian Betancor, supervisor, Oscar Wilde Lounge, Hotel Café Royal, London
• Aleksandra Boskovski, F&B supervisor, NoMad Hotel London
• Maria Boumpa, head waitress, Da Terra restaurant, London
• Harry Champion, manager, Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, London
• Nadine Elghool, chef de rang, Marcus at the Berkeley, London
• Max Daglish, assistant restaurant manager, Northcote, Langho, Lancashire
• Florian David, head waiter, the Waterside Inn, Bray, Berkshire
• Emma Denney, sommelier, Davies and Brook, Claridge’s, London
• Romy Diplexcito, chef de rang, Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles, Perthshire
• Pia Foulser, assistant restaurant manager, Petersham Nurseries, Richmond, Surrey
• Manon Gaillard, senior footman, the Royal Household, London
• Thomas Gammella, restaurant manager, Clockspire restaurant, Milborne Port, Somerset
• Piers Gibson-Birch, sommelier, Restaurant 22, Cambridge
• Cas Groen, sommelier, the Northall, Corinthia London
• Sophie Heyer, restaurant supervisor, the Promenade, the Dorchester, London
• Niamh Holland-Aspinall, head waitress, Henrock at Linthwaite House hotel, Windermere, Cumbria
• Rizwan Khan, general manager, Junsei, London
• Mattia Leonardi, head waiter, the Ritz London
• Riccardo Migliorini, chef de rang, Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester, London
• Thomas Miller, storyteller in training, the Fat Duck, Bray, Berkshire
• Rory Moore, chef de rang, the Northall, Corinthia London
• Andrea Perissinotto, head waiter, Galvin at Windows, London
• Andrea Petrzilkova, restaurant supervisor, the Woodspeen, Newbury, Berkshire
• Valentina Pirri, guest relations manager, Davies and Brook, Claridge’s, London
• Gianluca Podda, head waiter, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, Mandarin Oriental London
• Alana Quigley, assistant restaurant manager, the Birnam Brasserie, Gleneagles, Perthshire
• Anne Rasing, restaurant supervisor, Kerridge’s Bar & Grill, Corinthia London
• Oliver Ridge, chef de rang, Moor Hall, Ormskirk, Lancashire
• Dawid Szczuck, head waiter, Number One, Balmoral hotel, Edinburgh
• Lupo Thoenes, head sommelier, Hélène Darroze at the Connaught, London
• Jordan Wiltshire, restaurant manager, the Angel, Dartmouth, Devon