Alexandra Sollis of Gleneagles wins inaugural Ramon Pajares Excellence Scholarship

Alexandra Sollis, the guest relations manager at Gleneagles hotel, has been named as the inaugural recipient of the Ramon Pajares Excellence Scholarship.

The scholarship was launched by the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts (RACA) with the Savoy Educational Trust in honour of the late Ramon Pajares OBE, the renowned hotelier, former managing director of the Savoy in London and trustee of the charitable trust who died last year.

It is designed to support rising stars in the hospitality industry with a tailored programme of mentorship, development opportunities, and financial assistance to support their professional journey.

The award was judged by leading industry figures including Sandeep Bhalla, general manager at the Connaught; Melissa Fergus, general manager at Mauro Colagreco at Raffles London at the OWO; Howard Field, chair of the Savoy Educational Trust; Zoe Jenkins, general manager at Coworth Park; Angela Maher, chief executive of the Savoy Educational Trust; and Guillaume Marly, general manager at Waldorf Astoria London Admiralty Arch.

Sollis was praised by judges for standing out from an “exceptionally strong” field of candidates.

She will receive a £5,000 cash prize, be paired with a mentor from the panel of judges and be presented with her trophy at the AAE Gala Dinner on 29 July.

Lisa Jenkins, chief executive officer at RACA, said: “Alex is inspiring, because whilst she is already extremely accomplished, she also knows she is not the finished article and understands the value of mentorship. She is hungry to learn, determined and proactive, and her positivity is infectious.”

Angela Maher, chief executive at he Savoy Educational Trust, added: “Alexandra was amazing on the day of judging, and it was an absolute pleasure to hear about her journey so far, as well as learning about her future aspirations.

“It is wonderful to witness such passion for the industry, and this really shone through. Alexandra is a deserving beneficiary of the Ramon Pajares Excellence Scholarship, and we very much look forward to having played some small part in her journey going forward.”