Hearts of oak

Holly Addison-Snowdon, director, Berkeley Scott Expres

Tanya Leisinger, general manager, Leiths at the Natural History Museum

Jeremy Logie, chief executive, British Hospitality Association

Forbes Mutch, editor, Caterer & Hotelkeeper

Ricci Obertelli, director of operations, Audley Group

Calum Ross, foodservice director, Bestfoods (UK)

Peter Salussolia, chairman and managing director, Glendola Leisure/ Foundation Group

Frank Whittaker, group sales & marketing director, Granada Food Services

MANY of this year's 30 Acorn winners fell in love with the industry at its least glamorous. Gary Cowles pulled pints as a student, Mike Warren carried bags in Frankfurt, and Rebecca Gunn worked in her school holidays at the local country house hotel.

But none of them came away with the impression of an industry that was low-paid, with bad hours. Instead, they saw opportunities to excel at an early age.

Friends of 24-year-old Julia Harrington didn't understand her choice to enter hospitality. "What they missed is that this is a job where you can get on really quickly. It is hard for the first couple of years, but pretty soon you are given a lot of responsibility and get paid much better," says Harrington, who is now general manager of Havana restaurant in Fulham, London, part of the Capital Radio Restaurants group.

Now these 30 young people are in serious jobs, with staff to manage and controlling budgets of millions.

Ruth Lomax, a business development manager for Eurest handles 16 contracts with turnover of £2.2m. Sarah Hobbs at BrightReasons Restaurants is in charge of marketing 70-plus restaurants with sales of more than £30m. Darren Simpson is head chef at Sir Terence Conran's Sartoria restaurant, London, where Simpson has created a two-AA rosette menu and is in charge of a brigade of 25. At 23, David Goodridge is sous chef at Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, Great Milton, Oxfordshire, where he is responsible for supervising a brigade of 27.

Winning an Acorn for many tops off their achievements - avid rugby fan Dan Simpson gave up a ticket to the England-Wales match to attend the Dorchester ceremony last week. "You only get an Acorn once in your life," he says.

All 30 winners are an inspiration to the industry, especially at a time when stories abound of poor quality staff, poor wages, not enough people coming into the industry - but here is living proof of what the industry is capable of producing.

JULIE ARMSTRONG

Aged 29

Purchasing executive, Prestige Purchasing

Nominated by David Read, managing director, Prestige Purchasing

Julie Armstrong's rise in the catering business could be described as meteoric - three years ago she was an office administrator. However she was managing a budget of £1.1m and had full responsibility for stock control for a pharmaceutical company. It was from here she joined Granada Purchasing, where she discovered she had a flair for sales.

Here she improved profits by more than £1m with an innovative use of supply chain management. Armstrong was buoyed in her efforts by a manager who had also made the leap from secretary to sales. Last May she moved to join Prestige Purchasing as purchasing executive. Prestige is a purchasing consortium for 150 plus five star hotels such as the Ritz, Cliveden and Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons. Armstrong enjoys the personal satisfaction of working directly with individual clients.

SEAN BOYCE

Aged 25

Deputy general manager, Buxted Park Hotel

Nominated by Jon Brown, operations director, Virgin Hotels

Sean Boyce has been aiming for an Acorn ever since a former boss won the award. "It is widely recognised as a serious award, so I set it as a target," he says.

Boyce may have left school wanting to be in sales, but two weeks part-time in the conference and banqueting sales office at the Briggins House Hotel, Stanstead Abbots in Hertfordshire, changed his mind. Now his ambition is to be a general manager and have his own hotel.

A management trainee position led to a job as operations manager at the Blackwell Grange Hotel in Darlington, County Durham. From here Boyce took on the same position at the Wood Hall Hotel, in Linton, West Yorkshire, where he managed to reduce costs while improving profitability. In the short time Boyce has been deputy general manager at the Buxted Park Hotel, East Sussex, he has improved food service and housekeeping. Boyce believes the key to these achievements is to educate and empower the people with whom he works.

SUZANNE CHALMERS

Aged 22

Assistant food and beverage manager, Crieff Hydro hotel

Nominated by Stephen Leckie, managing director, Crieff Hydro Hotel

Suzanne Chalmers first gained a taste of life at the Crieff Hydro while on a student placement from her course in hospitality management at the Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen. Her six-month stint at the hotel quickly gave her an appetite for a career there.

"I feel that because I came here on a student placement, the hotel has given me a number of chances that I would not have otherwise had, and I've grasped every opportunity they've given me," says Chalmers.

After graduating 18 months ago, Chalmers joined the Crieff Hydro as a duty manager before taking on her present role. Chalmers is particularly proud of her involvement in developing the hotel's new brasserie. "I put together operational equipment and the standard procedure manual and put in a lot of pre-opening work," she says.

Organisation is key to performing well, Chalmers believes: "Sometimes you have to think on your feet, but having a plan allows you to pull through."

NICK CLEGG

Aged 29

Regional director, Aramark

Nominated by Jackie Cupper, divisional director, Aramark

At the tender age of 13, Nick Clegg saw the film Hotel and was immediately hooked. "For some reason, I decided that was for me," he says. Five years later, after starting a course in hotel and catering management at Chichester College, West Sussex, he realised he had made a mistake.

"It wasn't hotels I wanted to do, it was contract catering," Clegg says. Despite enjoyable stints working in restaurants, he stuck with his decision.

"I find the atmosphere in hotels very stuffy," explains Clegg. He also loves the volumes involved in contract catering. "I've always been motivated by numbers. Contract catering is about feeding thousands of people in a few hours. Hotels are about feeding a few hundred over a full day."

After starting as a trainee with Gardner Merchant, Clegg eventually found his way to smaller rival Baxter & Platts, where he helped steer the company through an exciting period of growth. He's now in charge of Aramark's £20m operation in London and is adamant that staff feeding is no longer the poor relation within hospitality. "Some of the dishes are far better than dishes you would pay £20 for in a restaurant, and the quality and presentation in many cases is exquisite," he says.

GARY COWLES

Aged 29

Area manager, City of London, Greene King

Nominated by Simon Argall, marketing manager

Gary Cowles started in the industry as a poor student, taking on a bar job to pay his way through his humanities degree. After graduating, he then took on assistant manager roles with Firkin pubs before joining Greene King in January 1998.

Now the area manager for the City of London, Cowles has brought in a 14% year-on-year growth since taking over the area for Greene King four months ago.

Cowles feels that an Acorn Award offers genuine recognition from his colleagues. "It's absolutely fantastic to gain recognition from your colleagues for the job you do," he says.

Cowles admits that he's made mistakes during his working life, but feels that these have taught him valuable lessons. The most important is to be thorough with everything. "It's all very well trusting people and what they do, but it's always best to check their work because you can point things out to them and add value to their job," he says.

SCOTT CURRIE

Aged 29

Facilities manager, CCG - part of Sutcliffe Catering

Nominated by Brian Clarke, regional managing director, Sutcliffe Catering, Scotland

Working on an oil rig is hardly routine, especially when you're responsible for the feeding and wellbeing of 40 people on a British Gas offshore platform in the North Sea.

Facilities management is about more than just cooking - Currie has responsibility for 24 different disciplines, including first-aid support, equipment maintenance and first-line repairs to living quarters.

"The facilities part of the job is very major, taking up at least 25% of what my team have to do," he says. His team of three have to work well together, especially because of the cramped conditions. "I try to involve my staff in everything. It is important to let their ideas be heard," says Currie, adding that if any incidents do occur, they sort it out by sitting down "and try and make a joke about it".

ALEX DRYSDALE

Aged 29

General manager, Havana, Capital Radio Restaurants, London

Nominated by Tony Antoniou, human resources manager, Capital Radio Restaurants

The future of catering is in themed restaurants. At least that is how Alex Drysdale saw it when he went from college to Disneyland Europe. This decision changed Drysdale's mind about where he was headed in hospitality. Hotels were out, themed restaurants were in.

Now as general manager of the 450-seat Latin restaurant and bar Havana, sister eaterie of Salsa! and Capital Radio Café, both in London, he tries to inspire healthy competition among the restaurants in the group.

"At the moment I want to beat Salsa! because it is a similar outfit and we both do similar figures so I keep a close eye on it."

Team motivation is key to winning, Drysdale believes, and he is providing courses for them in a bid to recognise their skills.

DAVID GOODRIDGE

Aged 23

Sous chef, Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, Great Milton, Oxfordshire

Nominated by Margaret Ireland, personnel manager, Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons

According to his peers, the reasons for his accelerated promotion are clear - total enthusiasm, dedication, willpower and incredible maturity for someone so young.

And chef-patron Raymond Blanc describes him as possibly one of the brightest young men to have worked in his team.

In addition to his day-to-day responsibilities supervising the 27-strong brigade in the main kitchen, Goodridge has assisted Blanc in the catering of functions many chefs could only dream of, such as cooking for the Queen Mother - "one of the highlights of my career," says Goodridge. As for the future, Goodridge says he would like to travel and experience different cultures and cuisines before owning his own place.

REBECCA GUNN

Aged 29

Executive housekeeper, the Westbury, London (part of the Wentworth Group)

Nominated by Willy Bauer, chief executive of the Wentworth Group, and Nicholas Rettie, managing director of the Great Eastern Hotel

For Rebecca Gunn the first taste of the industry came during school holidays, working in the local country house hotel. "I did everything from working in the kitchen to waiting on tables. I loved it," she says.

Now Gunn enjoys a job that keeps her in touch with every department of the hotel and gives her both customer contact and the opportunity to develop her own staff.

In her role as executive housekeeper at the Westbury, Gunn is responsible for the training of 35 staff members. "It is a priority to develop my girls," she says.

Gunn studied at Westminster College for her HND Hotel & Catering Management qualification and then did a BSc (Hons) in Hotel and Catering Management at the University of Surrey.

Beginning as a trainee at London's May Fair Inter-Continental, Gunn then progressed to assistant executive housekeeper and finally moved to the Halkin in London as head housekeeper. Gunn is working on improving standards and service while keeping control of the department's budget. As for the future, she is keeping an open mind.

"I love what I do but equally look for new challenges," she says.

JULIA HARRINGTON

Aged 24

General manager, Havana, Capital Radio Restaurants, London

Nominated by Tony Antoniou, human resources manager, Capital Radio Restaurants

Julia Harrington thought achieving an Acorn award was impossible: "I'm never going to do anything like that," she told herself last year.

But a year is a long time in hospitality, and at 24, Harrington is general manager of Havana in Fulham, London. The award recognises that she turned the restaurant round within a couple of months of taking over in November last year from falling £35,000 behind budget to hitting its targets and making a net profit of £22,000 a month.

But for Julia it is not all about money. When she first went into the business her friends - at least initially - found her decision difficult to understand. "What they missed is that this is a job where you can get on really quickly. It is hard for the first couple of years, but pretty soon you are given a lot of responsibility and get paid much better," she says. "What other industry pays you for going round a restaurant talking to people and making sure they are having a good time?" she asks.

SARAH HOBBS

Aged 28

Brand manager, BrightReasons Restaurants

Nominated by Stephen Evans, managing director, BrightReasons

Sarah Hobbs caught the attention of BrightReasons' managing director Stephen Evans in 1997 when, as brand manager, she helped launch the company's 29 Bella Pasta restaurants.

"At the time we were between marketing directors," says Evans. "Sarah had to take on a task that would have sent a shudder through even seasoned marketing professionals."

For Hobbs, the biggest challenge was when she project-managed the relaunch of the Bella Pasta menu in April 1998. She was rewarded for her hard work with figures that showed like-for-like sales growth of 4.3%.

As brand manager, Hobbs has plenty of challenges. She is responsible for the day-to-day marketing of the Bella Pasta concept, which comprises 70-plus restaurants and turns over £30m.

She says becoming an Acorn winner is a great pointer to the future. Her ambition is to become a marketing director, probably in a division of parent company Whitbread.

KAREN HUNT

Aged 27

Group training manager, Choice Hotels Europe

Nominated by Brian Worthington, human resources director of Choice Hotels Europe

"I love being on stage and this job gives me a chance to do it every day. Maybe I was an actor in a previous life," says Karen Hunt.

By her own admission, Hunt is an extrovert and passionate about most things, so motivating others through her job as group training manager comes naturally.

Hunt has worked for Rank Restaurants, Canynge Inns in Bristol and Allied Domecq. Managing a busy nightclub for the latter, Hunt gained a taste for training. She was quickly promoted to regional training adviser for the Midlands region where she put a team of unskilled service staff through their paces and designed several customer service training initiatives.

At Choice Hotels Europe, Hunt is responsible for recruitment and training plus organising NVQs and government schemes such as New Deal. Her aim is to become group training director.

ADRIAN KAVANAGH

Aged 26

Chef manager, Sutcliffe Catering Services, Dublin

Nominated by Peter Aldrich, managing director, Sutcliffe Catering UK

Winning an Acorn award gives Adrian Kavanagh a second reason to celebrate in a week; the first was getting engaged. As chef-manager for Sutcliffe at Ernst & Young in Dublin, Kavanagh provides executive dining for up to 350 customers on site. "It's very rewarding to see people enjoying something I have created," he says.

Kavanagh's ideas have also brought rewards in the form of competition success such as scooping the Grand Prix at Sutcliffe's Salon Culinaire in Ireland in 1997, which led to his participation in the Sutcliffe/Granada Food Services team's gold-medal winning efforts at Hotelympia in 1998 and in the 1998 Culinary World Cup in Luxembourg.

His dedication to Sutcliffe Catering Services has not gone unnoticed by his employers, who praise his enthusiasm, self-discipline and motivation he provides for his staff.

RUTH LOMAX

Aged 29

Business development manager, Eurest

Nominated by Adrian Dyer, managing director, Eurest

Ruth Lomax is an ambitious individual - 100% achievement is the only option. Sometimes trying to do the best for everyone, however, can be difficult. "The greatest challenge I face is trying to balance the company's needs with those of the clients and sometimes it's difficult to sort out where your priorities lie. You have two different budgets - the client wants to keep costs low but you also have to deliver what the company wants," says Lomax.

She joined Eurest in 1996 as a catering manager at a United Utilities site. She then began to oversee all the United Utilities business in the north of England before becoming business development manager in September 1998. She now handles 16 contracts with a turnover of £2.2m.

RACHEL MATHERS

Aged 25

Operations support manager, Kelvin Universal, Aberdeen

Nominated by Jim Bowes, human resources manager, Kelvin Universal

Rachel Mathers is one of a new generation of contract caterers. As operations support manager for Kelvin Universal in Aberdeen, Mathers is responsible for supplying oil companies with services ranging from window-cleaning to waste management and gardening. Food and drink is just one element.

Not that catering is unimportant for the rig workers that are among those Mathers supplies. "Food is probably the thing they look forward to most in the day, so the oil companies usually want to make sure that it's good," says Mathers, who has been with Kelvin Universal since she left university in 1995.

One of Mathers' achievements was to make a profit from the Shell long-service awards dinner for the first time in the 17 years that Kelvin Universal has held the contract.

DOMINIC MILLS

Aged 27

Acting regional general manager, Forte Posthouse, Nottingham

Nominated by Fiona Foster, regional general manager, Forte Posthouse, Nottingham

Dominic Mills hopes his temporary post as acting regional manager of the Nottingham Cluster of four Posthouse Hotels will lead to a permanent managerial position within the group. He is proud of his financial achievements and in the first quarter of 1998/9 he increased profits at the Posthouse Nottingham/Derby by 35% on last year.

Mills started in the industry as a part-time job as a waiter at St Catherine's College in Cambridge. "I recognised that it provides excellent opportunities for young people to build and take on responsibilities at an early age," he says.

He has since held a series of managerial positions and in May 1997 became manager of the 93-bedroom Posthouse Nottingham/Derby. Earlier this year he was selected to manage for six months the Nottingham Cluster, which has a turnover of £10m and 250 staff.

PAUL MORGAN

Aged 30

General manager, Hilton National, Bath

Nominated by Alison Clarke, vice-president human resources, Hilton UK and Ireland

At school, Morgan worked washing-up in a restaurant. "I saw a chef working in the kitchen and thought ‘I can do that,' so I went to Stratford College to learn how to become a chef. While I was there they recommended I look at becoming a manager instead," he says.

Morgan now has two catering diplomas to his name as well as a succession of job promotions, stemming from his first post as banqueting manager at the Hilton National Warwick.

He considers one of his greatest achievements to be when he took over as deputy general manager at the Hilton National Wembley in 1996 and was responsible for the hotel through the Euro '96 tournament. "I saw lots of matches but unfortunately I always had to leave before the end," he says.

JOHN MORRISON,

Aged 29

Group sales and marketing manager, Malmaison Hotels

Nominated by Beverly Payne, operations director, Malmaison Hotels

John Morrison loves every aspect of his job. "I love the Malmaison brand and everything that goes with it," he says. "I've been there from the start and am always struck by the original concept," he says.

But Morrison's career began with six months in hairdressing before making his debut in the hotel industry as a receptionist with the Swallow Hotel, Kilmarnock, in 1989. He joined Malmaison Hotels as sales manager in 1994, introducing sales techniques throughout the operational teams.

Morrison's drive, enthusiasm and open personality has thrust him forward since joining the industry. He feels that his greatest career success is the fact that he is "still enjoying it all five years down the line".

Morrison's career has not been without the occasional mishap, as he is not afraid to admit. "The Scottish comedian, Billy Connolly, flew in from Los Angeles to attend a funeral. I forgot to give him his alarm call and he missed the funeral."

STEPHEN PAGET

Aged 29

General manager, Harry Ramsden's, Southampton

Nominated by Alan Simpson, managing director, Coldraw Services

Stephen Paget started his career in banking, got bored and quickly moved to the travelling life of catering. A stint as a barman at a ski resort in Italy led to a job in Seattle, USA, which led to a job at TGI Friday's here in the UK.

Now he is general manager of not one but two Harry Ramsden's, including the Bournemouth branch which holds the company's world record for number of people served in a week (22,000 last August) and for the most sales in a week, during the same time period. Given that the average spend per head is £5 at the restaurant, Paget is particularly proud of his achievements.

"The day I got asked to manage both restaurants is probably my best success. It was a new move forward for me and was a job no one else in the group had tried to do before," says Paget.

Paget has always known that he wanted to win an Acorn. "It is a great achievement for me, for my team and for Harry Ramsden's," says Paget.

PETER PRESCOTT

Aged 28

Director of meetings and events, Millennium Britannia, London

Self-nominated

Peter Prescott's worst moment involved the James Bond Goldeneye launch in the Great Room of the Grosvenor House in London where he was conference and banqueting manager. Half-an-hour before guests arrived it became clear that two feuding committee chairmen had produced two table plans.

The likes of Chris Eubank and Andrew Neil were jostling for places, the chairmen had left the building and Prescott was left to fit 30 people on to a table of 10. "I saw the funny side by about 2am," he remembers.

Following his two years at the Grosvenor, Prescott joined Claridge's as deputy banqueting manger in March 1996. From here he joined Millennium Britannia in August 1998, where he is the hotel's first events manager with predicted turnover of £3.8m in the first nine months.

Recently Prescott survived his latest challenge: overseeing the opening of the new ballroom at the Millennium Britannia and its 17 full-time and 60 casual staff.

SALLY PRITCHETT

Aged 28

Company catering manager, Granada Hospitality

Nominated by Tim Moss, operating director, Granada Hospitality

One of Sally Pritchett's goals is to break the so-called glass ceiling and swell the band of female high-flyers in the hospitality industry. She sees becoming an Acorn winner as an important recognition of her accomplishments."Being a woman, I feel it's an achievement. I've never had a problem or felt left behind, but I do feel the industry is male-dominated."

Pritchett worked for contract caterer Compass as operations manager then training officer before joining Granada Hospitality as regional trainer in 1997. She was promoted to company catering manager shortly afterwards. One of the most exciting elements of her job has been introducing the Fresh Express self-service brand into Granada's motorway service stations.

There may be more glamorous sectors of the industry, but Pritchett prefers the speed and challenge of public catering.

"There's a lot of money involved and the number of problems that need to be solved is magnified."

WENDY ROBERTS

Aged 29

Head of accommodation services, University of Warwick

Nominated by Andrew Paine, director of hospitality services, University of Warwick

Wendy Roberts is impressed by size. "My job is very large and that's what I love about it - I'm in charge of 5,135 student bedrooms and employ 350 staff. It's the best job I've ever had," says Roberts.

Roberts' training ground for her current role was the five years spent working as a private contractor for ISS Mediclean, after she graduated in catering management from Oxford Brookes University.

Roberts's key success in her current role has been reducing the number of average sickness days taken from 17 to 14 days.

"I've tightened up procedures and interviewed people regularly to make them aware of how bad attendance affects the business," says Roberts.

She considers being nominated for an Acorn award a great honour.

Instincts are integral to Roberts' approach to her work, "I go with my gut reactions on things, it's one of the most important lessons I've learnt," she says.

And Roberts' instincts tell her to stay within facilities management. "I'd like to become head of facilities at a university or elsewhere in the future," she says.

DAN SIMPSON

Aged 27

Area manager, Whitbread Inns South West, Cheltenham

Nominated by Mike Robinson, human resources manager, Whitbread Inns South West

Dan Simpson's dedication to the industry cannot be underestimated. An avid rugby fan, he made the ultimate sacrifice in giving up a treasured ticket to the Five Nations rugby final in favour of celebrating his Acorn with other winners at the Dorchester hotel. "You only get an Acorn once in your life," he says of his decision.

Simpson fell in love with the industry while doing bar work to fund a post-A levels trip to Australia, and has never looked back. A hospitality management degree from Bournemouth University and plenty of practical experience - particularly with TGI Friday's - made him an attractive candidate for Whitbread Inns, and he became its first graduate trainee in November 1996.

"I had stints in all the head office functions so I understood the direction of the whole company." He also waited tables, washed up and pulled pints to get a feel for the business at the sharp end. Now aged 27, he is an area manager responsible for 12 pubs, 250 staff and a turnover of £7.5m.

But it is the people side of the business that really inspires Simpson. "I've tried to introduce some flair and create an environment in which people feel they can speak out. Communication is the key to motivating people," he says.

DARREN SIMPSON

Aged 28

Head chef, Sartoria restaurant, London

Nominated by Jane Tegerdine, personnel manager, Sartoria restaurant

Heading the kitchen at one of Sir Terence Conran's restaurants would be a daunting task for any young chef, but Darren Simpson seems to have taken it all in his stride. Since taking over at Conran's latest eaterie, Sartoria, he has overseen the building of the kitchen, recruited a 25-strong brigade, created a two-AA rosette menu, and honed his management skills.

He is stamping his own vision on the business, too. "One of the best bits of the job is using so much organic produce. About 70% of the menu is organic. When we started doing it people thought we were mad, but I'm trying to make a difference," says Simpson.

Simpson is no stranger to accolades. Voted Young Chef of the Year in 1992, he was a finalist in the Académie Culinaire de France's Annual Awards of Excellence in the same year.

SIMON SPROWELL

Aged 26

Group training and development manager, Stakis

Nominated by David Michels, chief executive, Hilton International

Simon Sprowell has opened five hotels within the past 18 months - an achievement which he feels is his greatest to date. Sprowell also prides himself on his introduction of "multi-skilling" - training employees who are already competent in one area to work in another department.

Sprowell's first position was as assistant pub and restaurant manager of the George, Enfield. He then joined Stakis as bars manager for the opening of the Dartford hotel in January 1992. Within Stakis, he progressed from assistant manager to restaurant manager before becoming personnel and training manager and then taking on his current role. Sprowell is keen to remain within training - his long-term career aspirations are to head a human resources department.

Sprowell's nominator, David Michels, says: "I am delighted for Simon and congratulate him on his success."

Sprowell could hardly contain his enthusiasm on hearing that he had won an Acorn Award. "This is superb - it's brilliant, it's real recognition," he says.

BEN TRODD

Aged 29

Director of sales, the Four Seasons hotel, London

Nominated by John Stauss, regional vice-president Europe, Four Seasons hotel

Ben Trodd's lifestyle certainly sounds glamorous - he was telephoned about his Acorn award on the way to the gym in Los Angeles. Trodd is, however, thinking of suing Los Angeles - "it was freezing cold and raining and you couldn't even see the Hollywood Hills from my hotel room!"

Despite the LA fog, Trodd enjoys the international approach of his company, though he is happiest at home looking after his "great team of salespeople" in London. "It's a new position and something that I've made my own," says Trodd.

He first worked in hotels while studying for a geography and marketing degree. After his studies, he took a job in banqueting, before moving into sales six years ago. The most significant lesson in his career to date has been changing his sales focus to learn "what clients want from me, rather than what I can do for them", admits Trodd.

HEATHER VENABLES

Aged 29

General manager, Baxter & Platts

Nominated by Paul Nicholls, director of operations, Baxter & Platts

Heather Venables' main achievement to date has been the restructuring and reorganising of the catering team at Baxter & Platts. She is responsible for a management team of three, a department of 65 staff, catering for 1,200 on-site senior executives, with a turnover in excess of £1m.

Her achievements are all the more admirable as she took a year off to globetrot after completing her BA in Hotel and Institutional Management from the University of Wales, Cardiff. Returning in 1992 she took up a post as restaurant manager with Tummies Bistro, Slough, in 1992.

Venables then spent three years as catering manager at Mars Confectionery before moving to Baxter & Platts in 1997. "I love it here - it's a constantly changing environment with some real challenges," says Venables.

Running operations to the highest standards is an integral part to Venables' approach. "I've always been very clear about the standards expected and work out strategies to achieve those standards. It's something that has moulded my management style," says Venables.

FIONA VERNON

Aged 30

Manager, the Bonham, Edinburgh, and director of sales and marketing, the Town House Company

Nominated by Peter Taylor, managing director, the Town House Company, Edinburgh

Fiona Vernon's father inspired her to go into hospitality. "Father enjoyed treating the family to a good meal," she says. "We used to go to the local new-opening restaurant as soon as it opened. And if a hotel opened with a leisure club or something, he'd always be hot- footing it down there with us in tow."

After gaining diplomas in housekeeping and front of house management at college in Leeds, Vernon joined the local Posthouse as receptionist for a year where she developed a taste for sales.

In 1991 she joined the Town House Company at Edinburgh's Channings hotel as sales manager. After gaining an advanced certificate from the Chartered Institute of Marketing at night school, Vernon then moved into operations, becoming manager of the firm's new 48-bedroom property, the Bonham.

"A key factor in my being able to do two jobs is the expertise of the head of departments. I rely heavily on them and on my deputy to juggle the different roles," says Vernon.

MIKE WARREN

Aged 28

General manager, Hotel du Vin & Bistro, Winchester, Hampshire

Nominated by Robin Hutson, managing director, Hotel du Vin & Bistro

"In more than 20 years in this industry I have met a huge number of young people, but I can honestly say that the number of truly outstanding individuals that I have been fortunate to work with number very few. Michael Warren falls into this category."

That is how Robin Hutson, managing director of Hotel du Vin, describes his general manager. Hutson has known Warren since their days at Chewton Glen in Hampshire: "His hard work and fascination for the business immediately caught my eye," says Hutson.

Warren is the proverbial "bottom-up" hotelier, having started as luggage porter at the Schlosshotel Kronberg in Frankfurt, Germany. After working his way through to the restaurant, Warren decided to come to England and train at Chewton Glen.

The experience was one he thoroughly enjoyed. "It gave me the belief that I've now got. You learnt how to do everything in the right, proper, professional way."

An Acorn award is something he has coveted for the past five years. "I'm looking forward to meeting other winners. I hope it will give us the opportunity to share experiences and learn from each other," he says.

DAVID

WEBSTER

Aged 27

Operations manager, the Slough/Windsor Marriott, Slough, Berkshire

Nominated by Carl Leaver, general manager, the Slough/Windsor Marriott, Slough, Berkshire

If David Webster had not been keen to earn some money during his days as an accountancy student, he may never have ended up working in the hotel industry.

"It's a case of the industry choosing me rather than the other way around. It's awful to think I could now be sitting in an office crunching numbers," he says.

Webster enjoyed his part-time job at Stillorgan Park Hotel in Dublin so much he quit his accountancy course and moved to London to study a degree in Hospitality Management at Thames Valley University.

His career has progressed at tremendous speed and in November he was promoted to operations manager at the Slough/Windsor Marriott, the youngest operations manager in Marriott UK.

Webster's ultimate goal is to become a director of a hotel group. Fulfilling his manager's opinion that he has a healthy appetite for risk he says: "I will go wherever the opportunities are be it here or Timbuctoo." n