Acorn winners 1998

Finding a common thread in 30 people is no easy task, but among this year's 30 Acorn winners there's a clear link: a dedication to the development and training of the next generation of industry employees.

Most of the winners are involved in training to some extent, and for some, such as Alex Rawson, training manager at London's May Fair Inter-Continental hotel, it is a key function. "I'm there to develop every member of staff and to make sure they have opportunities to continue developing," he says.

In addition, Rawson has been involved in promoting the industry in schools and colleges, and last year co-ordinated the training of 16 work-placement students.

Similarly, Tanya Leisinger gives a taste of the industry to young people still at school by taking them on work-experience placements in the various catering outlets she runs as general manager for Leith's at the Natural History Museum, London.

At the Old Bell in Malmesbury, general manager Caroline Burton-Hall also finds training very rewarding. "It's great to see staff progress and actually take on board something you've said," she says.

There is, however, much concern among the winners that long hours and low pay do nothing to attract young people into the industry. And they all agree: you have to love the industry to be a part of it.

There seems to be no doubt that award schemes such as the Acorn Awards provide an incentive for staff and are highly regarded among employers, it is disappointing to note that this year there have been few nominations from the independent sector.

Jeremy Logie, chief executive of the British Hospitality Association and one of the judges, is keen to encourage nominees from all areas of the industry. "This year has seen more groups choosing to put individuals forward for the awards," he says. "Companies want to raise their profiles as good employers and see the awards as a good way of doing it. They are very prestigious awards and, while more entries will make the judges' task more difficult, it can only be good for the industry."

Acorn Winners

Jonathan Bishop

Aged 29, executive chef

Casa Velha DO Palheiro, Madeira

Nominated by Jan Ringertz, general manager, Casa Velha do Palheiro

When Jonathan Bishop received a fax telling him his Acorn Award had been a mistake, he was not amused. "I was gutted - my heart stopped," he says. As it turned out, Bishop was merely the victim of a cruel April Fool's Day prank played by a director of the hotel at which he works. Luckily, he saw the funny side of it about two hours later.

Bishop is thoroughly enjoying his time in Madeira. "It was difficult when I first came here, having to deal with a different culture and different produce," he says. "Only one member of the brigade spoke English and, although I had the help of an interpreter in sourcing suppliers and hiring staff, when it came to training I had to learn the language very quickly."

Bishop is finding working life in Madeira very different from that in the UK, and hopes we will follow the example of the Continent as far as working hours are concerned. "The staff don't work more than 40 hours a week and they have 15 public holidays a year," he says. "Although the UK industry is striding forward and more people are taking it more seriously, something has to be done about the long hours, because that is what puts so many young people off."

While he plans to stay in Madeira for another two years, Bishop's long-term goal is to set up his own restaurant in England.

Caroline Burton-Hall

Aged 29, general manager

The Old Bell, Malmesbury, Wiltshire

Nominated by Nicholas Dickinson, managing director, Luxury Family Hotels

Caroline Burton-Hall's work ethos is "people won't come back if they don't enjoy it" and she places great importance on maintaining a good standard of service and giving value for money to customers. "One thing I've learnt is not to take business for granted," she says.

Burton-Hall followed her father into the industry. He worked for Cunard, but she gave the ships a miss because she suffered from seasickness, and decided instead to stick to terra firma.

Her success in attaining positions of responsibility in housekeeping, sales and front of house management, all by the age of 25, led to her appointment as general manager of the 30-bedroom Old Bell hotel two years ago. During her time there, turnover at the hotel has increased by 58% and operating profit is up by 143%.

She considers being nominated for an Acorn Award a great compliment from her boss, and says she is "chuffed to win".

John Campbell

Aged 28, head chef

Lords Of The Manor, Bourton-On-The-Water, Gloucestershire

Nominated by Richard Young, general manager, Lords of the Manor

After 13 years in the industry, John Campbell has decided it is time to give something back. So he has set up an academy at Lords of the Manor which takes trainee chefs from local colleges and schools and brings them in to spend between four and 12 weeks at the hotel. "The future of good food lies with young chefs," says Campbell, "and it is important for them to be exposed to a good kitchen to get an insight of what the industry is about."

Campbell partly attributes his own success to contact with good chefs while at Forte UK, where he spent the early part of his career after winning a place on the company's chef graduate scheme. His greatest achievement to date is receiving a Michelin star in January during his first year as head chef at Lords of the Manor. Here, he has achieved consistently high standards and reduced the food costs to 32% on a turnover of £750,000.

While such accolades are important to him, Campbell's aim is to achieve customer satisfaction, and he regularly takes time to talk to customers to get feedback. He has banned the word "problem" from his kitchen, declaring that every situation is an opportunity. Campbell intends to remain in the kitchen "for as long as I have my passion and enthusiasm for the industry".

Paul Catterson

Aged 28, head chef

Zinc Bar & Grill, London

Nominated by Kai Ringenson, managing director, Conran Restaurants

Since his promotion to head chef for Conran Restaurants' latest brasserie concept in May 1997, Paul Catterson says that his aim has been "to produce food to the highest standard and keep the staff happy". Initially attracted to the industry because he liked the idea of cooking and the chance to travel, Catterson now finds being part of a team and leading people to be a very rewarding part of his job.

At 28, he is the group's youngest head chef and is responsible for a brigade of 15 in an operation with an estimated turnover in excess of £1.5m. "I have always been determined that, when I reached head chef level, I would strive to have a good atmosphere in my kitchen," he says. "I believe in giving people as much responsibility as possible."

Catterson's own abilities were developed during four years at Quaglino's, where he worked his way up to senior sous chef. "It was a learning curve," he explains. "I was able to learn the business aspect of running a restaurant, and I have been able to use this knowledge in developing Zinc."

Plans for the immediate future are to be involved in developing more Zinc Bar & Grills, but Catterson would ultimately like to return to his native Ireland to run either his own restaurant or, ideally, a Conran restaurant. "If Terence ever decides to open in Dublin, that would be just great," he concludes.

Gisele Clowes

Aged 28, deputy general manager

The Mount Royal Thistle Hotel, London

Nominated by Norbert Petersen, senior operations director, Thistle Hotels

It's a wonder Gisele Clowes wasn't put off the industry for good when, on her first day as a 20-year-old work-experience student in a French hotel, she had to deal with a suicide. "You certainly see all sorts in this industry," she says.

Clowes had been planning to do European business studies on leaving school, but her plans changed when she covered a friend's shift washing up in a restaurant. This led to a part-time job as a waitress, which convinced Clowes that the industry offered her the opportunity to travel and use her language skills.

Her career began with Thistle Hotels on the graduate management training programme, and later at the Royal Westminster Thistle Hotel. Clowes spent four years gaining promotions within the company until she left to travel to Australia in 1995. She rejoined Thistle Hotels on her return to England, more than a year later, as one of the company's youngest food and beverage managers, and was quickly promoted to deputy general manager, where she was able to develop her people-management skills.

Clowes's ambition is to gain promotion to a general manager role where she can continue her work in encouraging staff to develop their careers.

William Curley

Aged 26, chef patissier consultant

Brown's Hotel

Self-nominated

"Extremely dedicated to his craft" seems to be a common phrase when William Curley's peers talk about him, and recognition by his peers is what it's all about, according to Curley himself. His CV boasts a whole page of awards, such as Académie Culinaire Awards of Excellence Patisserie 1996, Dessert of the Year 1996 and, more recently, Merite Lacam 1998.

The self-confessed "bad lad", whoonly did cookery at college so he could join a class full of girls, has been a senior member of several Michelin-starred kitchens such as La Tante Claire, Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons and Marco Pierre White's The Restaurant and the Oak Room.

Curley has now decided it is time to return to hotels, in whose kitchens he began his career. "I can't continue as a restaurant pastry chef," he says. "I need to go back to my roots and diversify my talents, otherwise I'll end up limited in what I can do. Working in a five-star hotel will give me an opportunity to develop further."

Jennifer Doman

Aged 28, catering services manager

Granada Healthcare

Nominated by John Bennett, managing director, Granada Healthcare

Providing meals for 550 patients, looking after 80 members of staff, and managing four staff restaurants and the hospitality services are all among Jennifer Doman's responsibilities. Ask her to describe a typical day at the West Middlesex University Hospital, however, and she's stumped. "No two days are the same," she says, "and you really have to think on your feet. But that is one of the many reasons I love this line of work."

It was during her year-long work placement at Oxford Brookes University that Doman decided her future lay in the contract catering sector. "I felt this field was more taxing than working in hotels and, although some people might wonder at it, working as a hospital caterer is great fun and I always seem to come away with a smile at the end of the day."

To survive in the job, Doman claims you need willpower, stamina and great diplomacy. So far, the rewards have been great. In her six years in catering, Doman has seen the industry grow enormously, and her opportunities with it. Having achieved her aim of becoming a manager within five years, she has now set her sights on taking charge of the porters, cleaners and switchboard by becoming the hospital services manager.

Simon Girling

Aged 29, general manager

City Rhodes Restaurant, London

Self-nominated

Simon Girling's current job wasn't advertised - he simply wrote to Gary Rhodes and asked for it. "I read in Caterer that Gary was opening a new restaurant, so I asked him if he had a position for me," says Girling. "He came to watch me work at the Castle and took me on."

And so Girling helped to develop City Rhodes, which now has takings of £60,000 a week, with every seat occupied for both lunch and dinner. He has also been instrumental in setting up a specific style of service at City Rhodes. "It's a modern style of service which cuts out the traditional and is crisp and clean cut," he claims. "Service has to be standardised when you're serving 100 covers an hour."

Girling plans to stay with Rhodes to set up a second London restaurant in Dolphin Square next month, with a further five to follow. "I want to have responsibility for them all," he says, "and be director of service for Rhodes Restaurants."

Guy Hilton

Aged 28, general manager

Royal Hotel, Llangollen

Nominated by John Stricknand, regional operations director,

Regal Hotel Group

Guy Hilton's interest in the hospitality industry was sparked by stories he heard while on holiday in the south of France, aged 16. "It sounded a lot more interesting than the run-of-the-mill stuff they tell you about at school," he says. So he ignored advice to become an accountant and embarked on a career with Crown and Raven Hotels, now Regal Hotels, after gaining some experience through vacation work.

Hilton's present position at the 33-bedroom three-star leisure-driven hotel fulfilled his ambition to become a general manager before turning 30, and he has been praised for record sales during the summer of 1997. The highlight of his career to date has been gaining Investors In People in 1994 while at the Regency Hotel in Solihull. Leading his staff calmly through a power cut on Christmas morning, with 100 people booked for lunch, also ranks as quite an achievement.

For the future, Hilton's ambition is to manage an even larger hotel or become a regional director within six years.

Anne-Marie Houston

Aged 28, assistant food & beverage manager

The Savoy, London

Nominated by Ramón Pajares, managing director, Savoy Group of Hotels and Restaurants

An industrial placement at the Gleneagles hotel after completing a hospitality management degree convinced Anne-Marie Houston that she had made the right career choice. "I'm very happy in the service side of things and I wanted to specialise in food and beverages," she says. "I enjoy contact with the customers."

Houston's career at the Savoy began in 1994, following two years in the USA at the Boca Raton Resort and Club. Achievements to date include being named Employee of the Year in 1997 and, more recently, gaining a scholarship from the Worshipful Company of Innholders, which allows Houston to attend the Cranfield University School of Management.

Houston places great emphasis on the personal development of her work colleagues, playing a key role in the cross-training of staff. This includes developing staff, awareness of training opportunities within the industry and ensuring industrial placement students follow a structured programme.

She considers energy, determination and an interest in both the guests and work colleagues to be essential attributes to a successful career in the industry, and hopes to progress to the ranks of food and beverage management within five-star hotels.

Brian Keane

Aged 24, deputy general manager

The Royal Hotel, Ventnor, Isle Of Wight

Nominated by Andrew Pike, food and beverage manager, Sopwell House hotel and country club,St Albans, Hertfordshire

After a false start as a mechanic, Brian Keane decided he wanted a more customer-focused career and found a mentor in Andrew Pike at Sopwell House hotel and country club, where he was taken on as a trainee manager. "I wanted to be general manager from day one," says Keane.

Four years later, having reached the position of assistant food and beverage controller and duty manager, Keane took up the challenge of a move to the Isle of Wight to develop his entrepreneurial skills as food and beverage manager at a three-star hotel. In less than a year, he was promoted to deputy general manager. During his time at the hotel, it has been elevated to two AA rosettes status and turnover has increased from £400,000 to £1.4m.

Keane is a supporter of the National Vocational Qualification system, which he encourages staff to follow, and has started a staff football team as a team building exercise to help with training. "I believe training is the way forward for the industry," he says. A recent exercise he is hoping to repeat was in conjunction with the Isle of Wight College when, under the supervision of managers, students took over the running of the hotel for two days.

As for his own career, Keane has set his sights on running a flagship hotel for a large group by the age of 35, and is further encouraged by his achievement of an Acorn Award. His ultimate goal is to own a hotel.

Peter Kerwood

Aged 27, signature chef

Chester Boyd, London

Nominated by Charles Boyd, managing director, Chester Boyd

A spell as a second-hand car dealer left Peter Kerwood feeling fed up and unfulfilled. "It wasn't creative enough and I decided I needed a complete change, so I became a chef," he says.

After using a career development loan to put himself through catering school, Kerwood set about gaining experience in restaurants such as Mosimann's and Bibendum in London and Rick Stein's Seafood Restaurant in Padstow. He then set up his own catering company, organising events such as a book launch and a Japanese wedding, before last year joining Chester Boyd, where he oversees all the food that leaves the kitchens.

His contribution to the company has included the launch of its latest division and flagship brand, Grand Cru, and his goal is "to make this company the best".

Oliver Key

Aged 27, private rooms and roadshow manager

The Savoy, London

Nominated by Michael Shepherd, general manager, the Savoy

Oliver Key first developed an interest in the industry at 14, while still at school, and was encouraged to pursue a management career when he achieved the highest marks in the country in the 1991 HCIMA examinations.

He joined the Savoy in 1995 as assistant restaurant manager and, after a number of rapid promotions, now finds himself responsible for seven banqueting rooms, catering for 45,000 guests a year and generating an annual turnover of £2.7m. "I love my job because no two days are ever the same," says Key, "and I meet the most incredible people."

Meeting Baroness Thatcher and Diana, Princess of Wales, rank among the most memorable moments of Key's career so far, although he hopes to have many more when he works his way around the world in the future. "I don't expect to spend the rest of my career in the UK," he says. "It's important to have goals and make the best of opportunities, and I want to work in some of the best hotels in the world."

Elizabeth Klem

Aged 29, executive housekeeper

The Berkeley, London

Nominated by Jean Jacques Pergant, general manager, the Berkeley

A preference for being behind the scenes led Elizabeth Klem along her chosen career path in housekeeping after completing a diploma in hotel and tourism management at the International Hotel Management School in Glion, Switzerland. "I worked as a hotel receptionist in Norway and what initially attracted me was the people aspect of the job," she says.

Klem's job at the Berkeley involves responsibility for the entire housekeeping operation including linen, valet and managing a staff of 60. Since she joined in August 1996, staff turnover has reduced by 40% and the hotel achieved its best financial and operating year in its history, with a 24% increase in turnover and gross operating profit up by 61%.

She regards being open-minded, supportive of staff and ready to accept challenges as important attributes of her position, qualities she developed as acting executive housekeeper in New York in 1992, where she was instrumental in taking the St Regis hotel from four to five stars.

Klem is convinced that her future lies within the hospitality industry, possibly in a supportive role where she can help ambitious recruits develop their abilities.

Tanya Leisinger

Aged 26, general manager

Leith's At The Natural History Museum, London

Nominated by Patrick Harbour, managing director, Leith's

A dislike of getting her hands dirty is what led Tanya Leisinger into a career in catering management rather than into the kitchen itself. "I prefer tasting the food to preparing it," she admits.

In a little less than three years since leaving college, Leisinger has risen to general manager, and is now responsible for the five public catering outlet sat the museum, which have a collective seating capacity of 400 and a projected turnover of £1.6m. Last year, she managed the opening of one of the outlets, Leith's first fast-food operation.

Being nominated for an Acorn Award by Leith's has further increased Leisinger's commitment to the company. "I didn't imagine I'd win one but I'll be very proud to put it on my CV," she says.

Helen McBride

Aged 25, restaurant manager

Mezzo Restaurant, London

Nominated by Kai Ringenson, managing director, Conran Restaurants

Restaurant manager Helen McBride says the rewards she gets when customers leave the restaurant happy more than makeup for the testing moments when she has to deal with a customer who has had too much to drink. "In those situations, both customers and staff look to me to keep calm."

Calmness and patience are not the only attributes McBride draws on in her job. "For a career in this industry you need ambition, dedication and a love of the industry itself, or you won't be able to give your best," she says.

In just four-and-a-half years, McBride has risen through the ranks at Conran Restaurants from a commis waiter to her present position, where she is responsible for turning over 750 covers in an evening, with 34 waiting staff.

Joanne McGhee

Aged 25, public relations manager

Stakis Hotels

Nominated by Alex Pagett, director of corporate affairs, Stakis Hotels

Alex Pagett, director of corporate affairs for Stakis and McGhee's nominator for an Acorn Award, credits the 25-year-old with pioneering public relations across the company. "What is undeniable is that Joanne's work has contributed greatly to the success of the business, and continues to do so," he says.

Having decided to study marketing and public relations, McGhee was able to combine her studies with an interest in hotels. "It gave focus and direction to my studies, and the fact that it involved languages had great appeal," she says. It was time spent in the USA, having won a scholarship to Cornell University, that led McGhee to realise the huge potential for public relations in the UK hospitality industry.

At Stakis, McGhee has fulfilled that potential by devising a training course which she took on a road show to all 53 hotels. This has resulted in an awareness of the importance of public relations. Having never trained people prior to this exercise, she considers this her greatest achievement.

McGhee has since handled the publicity for the opening of two new hotels and sees her future in a similar role on an international level.

Paul Meikle-Janney

Aged 29, Kirklees cuisine manager

Kirklees Metropolitan Council, Mirfield, West Yorkshire

Nominated by Stephen Brown, head of catering, cleaning and care taking, Kirklees Metropolitan Council

"The oddest job ever" is how Paul Meikle-Janney describes his position as head of the commercial catering concerns at Kirklees Metropolitan Council. "It's very hands-on, and I dabble in all areas from conducting a feasibility study for a restaurant to cooking for a banquet," he says.

When Meikle-Janney joined the company in 1996, it was having a troubled time. Within a year, he had turned it around - he achieved a 28% increase in sales, made a dramatic decrease in operating costs and brought the company back into profit.

A big growth area has been in weddings, which the council started catering for last year. For Meikle-Janney, the most memorable was a wedding themed around the film Grease. "Everyone was dressed in 1950s-style clothes," he says, "and the bride and groom came in singing You're The One That I Want. It really was quite amazing."

Jonathan Mills

Aged 29, senior sales development manager

Forte & Le Meridien Hotels & resorts

Nominated by Sandy Masson, director of sales, Forte & Le Méridien Hotels

Jonathan Mills was exposed to the industry from an early age and initially had aspirations to become a chef. However, after a disastrous six months in a kitchen, Mills decided his future was not as a chef. "I tried to smoke some salmon but totally destroyed it," he confesses. "My attempt at baking bread resulted in bread soup. So I decided to get out of the kitchen."

Mills soon realised that he was a salesperson at heart, and steered a course which has led him, eight years later, to a position where he has a personal portfolio of accounts with a value exceeding £5m. Of this, £2m was secured as new business in December last year. He also has responsibility for the team delivering its target of £14m for 1998.

He is delighted to receive an Acorn and says: "There is not enough recognition in the industry. We need more quality people coming in, and to achieve that the industry needs promoting as one with good career opportunities."

Natalie Morgan

Aged 25, general manager

Leith's Events And Parties

Nominated by Patrick Harbour, managing director, Leith's

A crisis one New Year's Eve at the Hurlingham Club in London, where Natalie Morgan was event manager, failed to put her off event catering, which sheloves.

"Fifteen hundred people were booked in for a New Year's Eve ball and the staff were being provided by an agency," recalls Morgan. "With just three days to go, the agency called and said they could only provide two people instead of the 150 we needed. We ended up busing staff up from Chepstow Racecourse and, needless to say, we never used that agency again."

She has had no such problems as general manager at Leith's events and parties, a post she achieved after a three-month trial as acting general manager to dispel the belief that, at 24, she was too young for the job. Morgan has been commended for her ability to adapt and cope with changing situations, in a role where she has to cater for anything from dinner for 10 people at Downing Street to a marquee for 2,000 in Yorkshire. Her aim is "to make Leith's the best outdoor caterer in London".

Craig Muir

Aged 25, general manager

Granada Retail Catering

Nominated by Tricia Gray, divisional manager, Granada Retail Catering

"When I finished college, I had two ambitions," says Craig Muir. "First, to earn the same amount in thousands as I am in years and, second, to win an Acorn Award." Now, at 25, he has achieved both.

It was his outstanding achievements in the motorway services sector that prompted Granada to offer Muir the position of general manager at the high-profile Harlequin Centre in Watford. Since his arrival in September, he has completely rebuilt the management team and boosted the predicted Christmas profit by one-third. His responsibilities now lie not only in running five restaurants and liasing with customers, but also in ensuring that the working atmosphere is pleasant for all staff.

Muir puts his success down to dedication, an ability to think on his feet and knowing when to take chances. Long hours and pressure drive him on. "I'm 25, but sometimes I feel 90," he says. "It is hard work, but my job is never tedious, and it certainly keeps you buzzing and feeling alive."

Gregory Nicholson

Aged 28, chef de cuisine

Brown's Hotel, London

Nominated by Andrew Coggins, general manager, Brown's Hotel

A service like a recent launch night for the new 1837 restaurant at Brown's makes Gregory Nicholson wish the ground would just open up and swallow him. "I had the flu, but half my brigade was off so I was trying to do everything," he explains. "The extraction in the kitchen had stopped - it was so hot the ceiling melted and we could hardly breathe." Even so, service continued and the 80 guests that evening were unaware of the problems in the kitchen.

Launching 1837 is the latest in a long line of highlights in a career which Nicholson says really got going when he went to work at L'Ortolan. "That was my big break, going to work for John Burton-Race," he says. "It can be frustrating working in a smaller kitchen - I found the food wasn't really what I wanted so it was great to get the chance to work in a Michelin-starred kitchen."

Finding the right people for the brigade has been the hardest problem to overcome in the creation of 1837. "I wanted a kitchen full of me," says Nicholson. He is looking forward to training young chefs who can go on to Michelin-starred restaurants themselves, although his aim is to gain a star for 1837.

Maria Pajares

Aged 28, senior sales manager

The Savoy Group

Nominated by Geraldine McKenna, director of sales and marketing, the Savoy Group

To bring in a variety of business for five hotels as part of a team, to act as an ambassador for the group and to motivate her team through her own enthusiasm is how Maria Pajares sums up the role of senior sales manager, to which she was promoted a little more than a year ago.

Pajares's nominator, director of sales and marketing Geraldine McKenna, praises her ability to capitalise on and create new opportunities, which in 1996 resulted in room revenue of £2.8m.

The most amusing moment of her career to date occurred several years ago, when Pajares was dealing with an elderly lady who claimed to be stuck in her hotel room. "She said there were only two doors in her room," Pajares recalls. "One led to the bathroom, and she hadn't dared to open the other one because there was a sign on it saying ‘do not disturb'."

Although a role as director of sales and marketing would be the logical step to aim for, Pajares prefers to keep her options open. "I still have a lot to learn," she says, "and I want to remain open-minded so as not to close off any opportunities which may arise in the future."

John Philipson

Aged 28, director of food and beverage

The Balmoral, Edinburgh

Nominated by Michel Ducamp, general manager, the Balmoral

"Having travelled with my parents and stayed in good hotels, I remember thinking from an early age how nice it would be to run one," says John Philipson. This is how he came to join the industry, and for him it has lost none of the glamour which initially attracted him.

Philipson has found his niche in food and beverage, where he enjoys being creative in organising banqueting. "I love the constantly changing aspect of the industry," he says. "Every function is different from the last one, and it gives me an opportunity to show off."

His nominator, Balmoral general manager Michel Ducamp, credits Philipson with establishing a strong new identity for the hotel's two restaurants, which have attracted many new diners and increased the hotel's revenue by 4% last year.

Alex Rawson

Aged 27, training manager

May Fair Inter-Continental, London

Nominated by Dagmar Woodward, general manager, May Fair Inter-Continental

At 16, Alex Rawson didn't know whether to become an architect or enter the catering industry. Luckily for the May Fair Inter-Continental, he chose the latter path, because he wanted a varied career with opportunity for quick development.

His career has taken him to the position of training manager, where he is responsible for the training requirements of the hotel's 290 employees and controls a training budget of £55,000. Since his appointment in June 1997, he has addressed a number of important training issues and steered the hotel through a successful assessment for Investors In People status.

Rawson is surprised to receive an Acorn Award as he usually prefers to stay out of the limelight. "I like to develop business from a people aspect by supporting, guiding and training others," he says.

Ellen Ritchie

Aged 29, banqueting sous chef

The Savoy, London

Nominated by Michael Shepherd, general manager, the Savoy

Ellen Ritchie is still reeling from shock at gaining an Acorn Award. "I'd forgotten I'd been nominated because I tried not to think about it and get my hopes up," she says. "When I got the letter telling me I'd won, I was quite tearful. It's a real achievement for me."

Having originally thought of joining the RAF, Ritchie started her career as a second commis and has risen to become the first female banqueting sous chef at the Savoy, where she is responsible for the entire food production for banqueting, which often means 2,000 covers a day.

Duties include serving high-profile events as well as satisfying the needs of individual parties. This she achieves with no set banqueting team, but with a variety of chefs available at that time and whom she has to train and brief prior to each event. In doing this, she plays a major part in controlling labour costs.

After three years in banqueting, Ritchie feels the time may have come to move on and gain experience in another area.

Tracey Rogers

Aged 25, group and conference sales manager

Jarvis Hotels

Nominated by Lawrence Alexander, sales and marketing director, Jarvis Hotels

Since Tracey Rogers took over management of the conference desk for the group in November 1997, sales have grown by 50%, and are expected to exceed £3m by the end of the 1997/98 financial year.

She attributes her success to having pushed herself forward at every opportunity, something she intends to carry on doing, and is pleased to have had her rapid progress rewarded with an Acorn Award. "I feel I've come a long way in a short time," she says.

A move to a central reservations office, managing a team of about 40, is a possibility for the future. For now, Rogers is content to stay for a few years in her current position, where she strives to run a happy team.

Julian Tee

Aged 26, conference and banqueting manager

Turnberry Hotel, Ayrshire

Nominated by Ross Furlong, resident manager, Turnberry Hotel

Julian Tee considers that the most important aspect of his job is to get to know each client and fully understand their needs. "There may be similarities between events but no two will ever be the same," he says. "You have to take their unique requirements and fit them into a framework, making sure the client gets what they want out of it."

Tee places great emphasis on the individual's need to believe in the product, be dedicated to the job and have good personal presentation. He also believes that it is important for the industry to recognise such qualities and achievements. "Young people coming into the industry need something to aim for, and awards need to be highly publicised to give people a sense of pride," he says.

His own achievements include winning the Booker Fitch Food Services Award in 1993 with his essay on how Investors in People can help increase professionalism and profitability in the industry. He is also justifiably proud of being responsible for turnover of just under £2.5m, 20% of Turnberry's total turnover in 1997.

Susannah Tritton

Aged 26, catering services manager

Granada Healthcare

Nominated by John Bennett, managing director, Granada Healthcare

A career in the catering industry has always been on the cards for Susannah Tritton, but she never expected to find herself in the healthcare sector. "If someone had told me a few years ago I would wind up working in hospital catering," she says, "I would have said, ‘Don't be so silly.' I always wanted to work in the luxury end of the market but, after spending six months at St Charles Hospital in Oxford four years ago, I haven't looked back. It was all so challenging."

Tritton's first job in the industry was when, aged 16 at the Greswolde Hotel, Knowle, she did "anything and everything" and was inspired to study Hotel and Catering Management at Oxford Brookes University. Now at Mount Vernon Hospital, Oxford, she is responsible for 1,000 patient meals each day, plus the staff restaurant and the cräche.

"In my line of work you have to be a real all-rounder," she says. "I am expected to know about accounting, personnel, operations and health and safety. I am constantly pushed to the hilt, and no two days are ever the same."

Most people's perception of hospital food is that it is horrendous, and changing that is Tritton's biggest challenge. "I always get such a kick when people write to thank us for the food," she says. "The patients have no choice but to eat what we give them, and there are no excuses not to make it enjoyable."

Glyn Williams

Aged 27, hotel and restaurant inspector

Automobile Association

Nominated by Ian Mansfield, chef de cuisine, Eastwell Manor Hotel, Ashford, Kent

Glyn Williams's reaction to winning an Acorn Award was one of horror that his photograph would be published in Caterer.

Williams's career includes stints as food and beverage manager at Eastwell Manor and as assistant manager, guest services, at Llangoed Hall. He joined the AA in 1996, becoming its youngest inspector. Williams feels he is at the cutting edge of events. "We are a voice box for the industry," he says. "We experience more of the industry than any one proprietor will, and this experience, together with the feedback we can give, is so valuable."

He sees standards rising as the consumer becomes more knowledgeable and powerful. "It's the customers who regulate the industry," he claims.