Gold star: Thomas Gammella looks back on a year as a Gold Service Scholar

15 February 2023 by

The 2022 Gold Service Scholar Thomas Gammella tells Katherine Price how feeling valued at work and strong mentorship has helped him flourish

If you enjoy the process, then good things will come, is the motto of 2022 Gold Service Scholar Thomas Gammella, the 25-year-old winner of the prestigious competition for young front of house professionals in the UK.

"I never thought about it. I just enjoyed the process," he says of his achievement. "I didn't think about getting it wrong, I was just excited about what could go well."

Having won the competition the very first time he entered it, Gammella acknowledges that "it went pretty well" indeed.

Gammella, who is originally from Milan, has climbed the ranks since deciding to pursue a career in hospitality at the age of just 14, when he joined the E Maggia hospitality school in the Italian Lakes town of Stresa. He spent five years studying, doing internships at top hotels and restaurants, and working evenings at fine dining restaurants near his home in Milan.

None of his family members have worked in hospitality, so he was very much forging a path of his own. What attracted him to the sector, he says, was the ability to put a smile on people's faces and see their appreciation.

"More than just my job or passion, I consider my vocation is making people happy and to feel special and delivering memorable experiences," he explains.

He finished his studies in August 2016, and came to the UK the following month to learn English. By October, he had found a job as a waiter at the Michelin-starred Woodspeen in Newbury, Berkshire, through hospitality stalwart Diego Masciaga. An E Maggia graduate himself, the former long-serving general manager of the Waterside Inn in nearby Bray put Gammella in touch with the then general manager of the Woodspeen, Alessandro Fasoli, who is now managing director of parent company WSH Restaurants.

Gammella was quickly promoted to head waiter and by the time he entered the Gold Service Scholarship, he had worked his way up to restaurant manager of sister site the Clockspire in Sherborne, Somerset.

Back to the start

Six years after arriving in the UK, he's back at the Woodspeen as restaurant director, with an excellent grasp of the English language. He describes it as a "fantastic place to work" and credits Fasoli, who is a Gold Service Scholarship trustee, with mentoring him and helping him develop his experience and profile.

"I've been mentored by Alessandro and I wish everyone could have a mentor like this. It puts you in positions where you can achieve things. There are so many talents out there who don't have the opportunity or the position to shine and express themselves in the way they should. I consider myself lucky to have that support," he explains.

"Good managers don't make you feel like a number; they make you feel special and guide you. They've lived the way you're living now, so they can give you advice. Sometimes we make bad decisions, but good managers can also guide you towards good decisions."

He says Fasoli allowed him to order food for the restaurant to practise his skills ahead of each stage of the scholarship competition and invested time in training him for it – for example, carving racks of lamb as well as decanting wine and making cocktails.

"Anything is possible when you've got that support," says Gammella. "We do that every day at the Woodspeen, such as interactions with the customers and lots of carving at the table. It was more like mastering those skills than discovering something new."

Self-discovery

He praises competitions such as the Gold Service Scholarship and the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts' Annual Awards of Excellence (he won one in 2019) for allowing young people in the industry to "shine". He entered both competitions to challenge himself and learn more about his strengths and weaknesses.

"When you are challenged like this, you understand a bit more about yourself, and that's what gets you to the next level," he says. "If you think you've learned enough, that's when you actually stop learning. Keep learning, studying, reading. Enjoy every single step you take in your career."

He has a busy year of learning and development opportunities ahead, overseeing the opening of another restaurant for Woodspeen's owner WSH as well as taking up his remaining scholarship prizes. He has already worked in the royal tea tent at a Buckingham Palace garden party, visited Champagne Laurent-Perrier, and done a bespoke management course at École hôtelière de Lausanne in Switzerland.

One of the most beneficial experiences, he says, was a placement at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Bangkok, Thailand. Over 10 days, he was exposed to every department at the luxury hotel, from the reception and spa to housekeeping and events. He also worked dinner service at the hotel's two-Michelin-starred Le Normandie by Alain Roux restaurant. But it was his experience with the hotel's HR department, observing how it recruits, trains and retains staff, that made the biggest impact.

"They have a development plan for everyone," he says. "And the way they welcome the team – they take a picture of you when you join and put it on the board in the staffroom for everyone to see and be able to welcome you.

"Everyone wants to feel valued in the workplace. If you know how to look after your people, they will look after your guests. A culture where everyone feels valuable and an important part of the business makes a difference."

He has also benefitted from the mentorship, guidance and support of other scholarship trustees, such as Silvano Giraldin and Sergio Rebecchi, as well as the Team Gold alumni network.

"It's amazing when you get to share an experience with people who love what you love, who share the same passions and goals. You just speak the same language," Gammella says.

Not over yet

This year has plenty in store for him still. He is registered to train for the Wine & Spirit Education Trust Level 2 and 3 awards in wine, and an educational trip to Porto is on the cards. There's also social media reputation management training with Susa Comms, and a stage at a top London restaurant – his options are likely to include Core by Clare Smyth, Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester, the Ritz London, Claude Bosi at Bibendum, Le Gavroche, and Gordon Ramsay at Royal Hospital Road in London, as well as the Waterside Inn.

With such an array of esteemed restaurants to choose from, it's unsurprising that the UK's service culture is top-notch in his estimation.

"What I managed to achieve in the last seven years working in the UK is insane," he says. "I don't see myself achieving [elsewhere] so many things like I did here. You feel valued, you feel you've got progression in front of you and the future is bright. People in England really value service."

Good leadership

However, to ensure the UK remains one of the global hospitality powerhouses, he is passionate that people in the sector need good leadership and mentorship. He says that ensuring employees feel appreciated and as valued as he has been is key to retention.

"When people feel appreciated, they will always bring more than is asked of them. They do it because they want to do it," he says.

While he believes employers should ensure a sensible work-life balance, he also stresses that hospitality is as much a lifestyle as a career. "If it's not a passion, it's really hard – probably impossible," he says.

"It's not just about the money, it's about balancing those two things. If you show your team you're willing to meet their needs, you can build up a wonderful culture, and that's what keeps you consistent."

Despite the many challenges the sector is facing, Gammella is confident about the future of both the industry and quality front of house service. Rather than putting a stop to personable guest service, the pandemic increased the need for face-to-face human connections, he argues.

"What makes an experience memorable and special is people. Things like the Gold Service Scholarship are here to promote and make people understand that this is so important and what we need to focus on. We are a strong industry, made of strong people. It doesn't matter how hard we get hit, we know we're strong and we just keep going – we adjust. It's a fantastic industry."

His advice to future Gold Service Scholarship entrants, meanwhile, aligns with his motto. "Enjoy the process and every step of the competition," he says. "It's priceless and it goes so quickly. Don't be nervous, be excited for what could go well. If you're doing this job, it's because you know what you're capable of."

Thomas Gammella's CV

  • 2022-present Restaurant director, the Woodspeen, Newbury, Berkshire
  • 2019-2022 Restaurant manager, the Clockspire, Sherborne, Somerset
  • 2018-2019 Deputy restaurant manager, the Woodspeen
  • 2017-2018 Restaurant supervisor, the Woodspeen
  • 2016-2017 Head waiter, the Woodspeen
  • 2016 Waiter, the Woodspeen

A worthy scholar

Acclaim from Gold Service Scholarship trustees for Thomas Gammell, winner of the 2022 award

"Thomas has a great level of charm and this translates into his wonderfully engaging personality and ability to interact naturally with guests. In addition to his high level of technical skills, this made him a worthy scholar. As a trustee, one of the most pleasing aspects of the Gold Service Scholarship is watching how our scholar and finalists grow and develop, and it is already so noticeable to see how Thomas has matured and grown in confidence during his year as scholar."

Edward Griffiths, non-executive chairman, Searcys

"Immaculate grooming and an infectious smile are the standout trademarks that Thomas possesses. His hunger for learning and striving to perfect his skills in the hospitality profession are admirable."

Sergio Rebecchi, director, Serenata Hospitality

The 2023 finalists

The winner of the 2023 Gold Service Scholarship was announced on 15 February at Claridge's in London. The finalists were:

  • Charlotte Bailey, junior assistant restaurant manager, Belmond Le Manor aux Quat'Saisons, Oxfordshire
  • Giulia D'Angelo, assistant manager, Trivet restaurant, London
  • Jupiter Humphrey-Bishop, footman, the Royal Household
  • Ryan Kenyon, restaurant manager, Coast Saundersfoot, Pembrokeshire
  • Daniela Mayer, assistant restaurant manager, Strathearn restaurant, Gleneagles, Auchterarder, Perthshire
  • Kevin Ricou, head waiter, the Ritz London
  • Robin Tola, head waiter, Hélène Darroze at the Connaught, London
  • Lynn van Logtestijn, head waiter, Core by Clare Smyth, London

Where are they now?

How Gold Service Scholars have fared.

2013 Rebecca Clough, now group talent manager, Luxury Family Hotels 2014 James Fleming, front of house manager, NoMad London 2015 Daniele Quattromini, director of food and beverage, Corinthia London 2016 Jennifer Santner, deputy director of food and beverage, Claridge's, London 2017 Stephanie Beresforde, restaurant manager, the Pig at Harlyn Bay, Cornwall 2018 Michael Staub, business unit manager – new opportunities, Batgroup, Zurich, Switzerland 2019 Karen Cross, front of house, La Table d'Alix at the Plough, Great Haseley, and restaurant administrator, the Swan Inn, Islip, both Oxfordshire 2021 Elizabeth Forkuoh, deputy restaurant manager, Gleneagles, Auchterarder, Perthshire

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