Semi-finalists unveiled for 2015 UK Restaurant Manager of the Year

23 October 2015 by
Semi-finalists unveiled for 2015 UK Restaurant Manager of the Year

The Academy of Food & Wine Service (AFWS) is delighted to reveal the semi-finalists for its celebrated 2015 UK Restaurant Manager of the Year competition.

Run in partnership with The Caterer

Now in its seventh year, the competition is supported by the Savoy Educational Trust, which donates a bursary to the overall winner to enable them to study at the Lausanne Business School in Switzerland.

Following the initial paper-entry stage, 10 entrants have made it through to the semi-finals, which take place next week. They will each undergo an interview with members of the judging panel.

Six semi-finalists will then be selected for the finals, which take place in London at the Royal Garden hotel on 23 November.

At the final, candidates will be interviewed and tested on their all-round knowledge of the job, customer service skills and social media marketing before they present their business plan to a panel of ‘dragons' and a VIP audience.

Last year's winner, Café Rouge restaurant manager Alper Zan, said: "It's such a prestigious award itself and the training from the world-famous Hospitality School in Lausanne made me sleepless for a couple of nights, thinking 'what an opportunity'."

Head of judges and former winner Peter Avis, chairman of the UK Restaurant Guild, commented: "Since I won the award in 2009 I have felt a huge responsibility to promote the role of restaurant managers as I believe they have a vital role to play in the success of any establishment. This year we are determined to encourage entrants from across the board and highlight what a fantastic career the profession can offer."

The winner will be chosen and announced at a VIP reception at London's Royal Garden hotel on 23 November 2015, when the AFWS will also reveal the winner of the Virgin Rising Star award, which is presented to the highest placed restaurant manager under the age of 30.

This is the first year that The Caterer and the AFWS have joined forces to run the UK Restaurant Manager of the Year competition.

The 10 semi-finalists are as follows:

Giuseppe Longobardi, the Cross at Kenilworth
Andreas Wolff, Café Rouge, Witney, Oxfordshire
Lucy Knichel, Tottenham Hotspur, London (BaxterStorey)
Roberto Marziota, Fourteen Restaurant, London (Restaurant Associates)
Jack Cohn, Kensington Place, London
William Gomis, Quaglino's, London
Edouard Oger MS, Isle of Eriska, Benderloch, Argyll
Marcellin Hardouin, Adam's Restaurant, Birmingham
Christopher Kidd, Lucknam Park, Colerne, Wiltshire
Ian Sturrock, the Arts Club, London

UK Restaurant Manager of the Year 2015 kicks off >>

Last chance to enter the 2015 UK Restaurant Manager of the Year >>

Entries sought for the 2015 UK Restaurant Manager of the Year >>

Are you looking for a new role? See all the current restaurant vacancies available with The Caterer Jobs >>

Latest video from The Caterer

The Caterer Breakfast Briefing Email

Start the working day with The Caterer’s free breakfast briefing email

Sign Up and manage your preferences below

Check mark icon
Thank you

You have successfully signed up for the Caterer Breakfast Briefing Email and will hear from us soon!

Jacobs Media is honoured to be the recipient of the 2020 Queen's Award for Enterprise.

The highest official awards for UK businesses since being established by royal warrant in 1965. Read more.

close

Ad Blocker detected

We have noticed you are using an adblocker and – although we support freedom of choice – we would like to ask you to enable ads on our site. They are an important revenue source which supports free access of our website's content, especially during the COVID-19 crisis.

trade tracker pixel tracking