Applications open for £5,000 hospitality scholarship grants

Hospitality educational alliance the Oxford Cultural Collective (OCC) has opened applications for its latest annual scholarships for young hospitality professionals and students.

Two £5,000 awards are available – the Lou Willcock Scholarship, which reflects creativity in the hospitality sector, and the Golden Chopsticks Scholarship, the first of its kind in the UK for those interested in East and Southeast Asian food and hospitality.

Applicants should submit a personal or professional development project that reflects their aspirations and passions and that will have a lasting impact on society.

In addition to a financial award, recipients receive professional mentoring support for a year, to support their professional development.

Ben McEwen, chair of the OCC’s charitable trust, said: “Unlike many recognition programmes that exist for young hospitality professionals, we offer substantial financial grants and comprehensive mentoring. Over time we aim to create a community of highly talented scholarship winners, who will be the changemakers of the future, building successful careers, while achieving positive impacts for industry and society.”

Jack Feeny, chef and founder of online platform No Mise en Plastic, won the Lou Willcock Scholarship in 2023. He said: “It completely changed my life. The whole process has laid the foundation for the work we are now doing. For those with great ideas they believe could help change our industry, I would really recommend applying for this amazing opportunity.”

In addition to scholarships, OCC offers the Yan-Kit So Award, which comes with a £3,000 bursary, for those who are planning to write their first cookbook or work of non-fiction focused on any aspect of Asian food culture.

Applications are open until 26 September 2025, and the winners will be announced in mid-November.

To apply, or for further details, visit the OCC website.

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