Special Award
The final year of the last century was a good one for Sir Rocco Forte. Not only was he the recipient of the 1999 Special Award Catey, he also topped the list, along with Raymond Blanc, of the industry's most admired people in Caterer‘s special lifestyle survey (MillenniuM, Caterer, 23 December 1999), proving that he has the respect of his peers.
Sir Rocco's story is one of staying power. His beleaguered family business had been taken over by the corporate muscle of Granada, enough to make most people give up. Not so Sir Rocco. He was down but not out, rising from the ashes with RF Hotels, a new player in the market with properties in Cardiff and Edinburgh as well as further afield in Florence and St Petersburg. A property in Rome is the next opening, in April, and, closer to home, a 171-bedroom, five-star hotel in Manchester is planned for 2001, just ahead of the Commonwealth Games.
Winning the Special Award was, says Sir Rocco, a great honour. "The Cateys are an excellent way of motivating and rewarding individuals for their commitment and achievements within the industry," he summarises.
The Special Award is hard to define. There are no set criteria for this distinction. What is essential, however, is that the winner should stand out head and shoulders above the opposition at the time of selection. Winners of the award can come from anywhere in the industry. The only common attribute they all display is a passion for and commitment to their work. The award may come early in their careers in recognition of original or creative ideas, or later, when they have clocked up an unparalleled persistence for quality.
For inspiration, take a look at previous winners of this award. The list reads like a who's who of the industry. Sir Terence Conran, Ramón Pajares, Gary Rhodes, David Michels, Prue Leith and Garry Hawkes are all previous recipients and testament to the high calibre of candidates singled out for this accolade.
Above all, the winner will always have an eye for the future. At the time of winning the award in 1997 Ramón Pajares, then managing director of the Savoy Group of Hotels and Restaurants, summed up his commitment to progress. "What was excellent yesterday is only acceptable today and is unacceptable tomorrow," he said.
Remember, the Special Award can recognise someone from any industry sector. To nominate someone for this Catey contact Sarah Sutton on 020 8652 8349 for a nomination form. If you wish, enclose a supporting statement of no more than 200 words on a separate sheet of paper. The closing date for nominations is Friday 3 March, and judging will take place at Caterer & Hotelkeeper‘s offices on Tuesday 9 May.
