The Dorchester’s Mattia Marcelli wins Ramon Pajares Excellence Scholarship

The Dorchester London’s food and beverage operations manager Mattia Marcelli has been awarded the 2026 Ramon Pajares Excellence Scholarship.

Marcelli impressed the judging panel, which included Connaught hotel managing director Sandeep Bhalla, Coworth Park general manager Zoe Jenkins and Waldorf Astoria London - Admiralty Arch general manager Guillaume Marly, with his strong leadership potential and clear ambition.

The award was launched by the Savoy Educational Trust and managed by The Royal Academy of Culinary Arts to recognise the commitment to delivering exceptional guest experiences and nurturing talent championed by Ramon Pajares throughout his career.

As the recipient of the 2026 Ramon Pajares Excellence Scholarship, Marcelli will receive a £5,000 personal development fund and will be paired with a mentor from the scholarship judging panel. 

He said: “Winning the Ramón Pajares Scholarship is an honour that inspires me to keep learning, growing, and aiming higher. It’s a great opportunity to invest in my growth and future impact. 

“I plan to use it to undertake a leadership and coaching course that will strengthen my ability to inspire, support, and develop others. I will also use this opportunity to be mentored by experienced leaders and in turn, to mentor others, sharing knowledge, supporting growth, and encouraging a culture of continuous learning.”

Lisa Jenkins, chief executive officer at The Royal Academy of Culinary Arts, who was also a judge, added: “Mattia’s determination to continually develop his skills, coupled with his dedication to excellence and supporting others, embodies the values that Ramon Pajares championed throughout his remarkable career. We are proud to support Mattia on the next stage of his journey and look forward to seeing the positive impact he will undoubtedly make on our industry.”