The industry's best and brightest gathered to join the ranks of the Acorns, hospitality's 30 under 30, at Harbour Hotel Southampton
This year's Acorns celebrated their successes during a fun-packed winners' weekend at Harbour Hotel Southampton, run in partnership with CH&Co.
The sun shone down as The Caterer brought together this year's Acorn Award winners to the five-AA-star ‘super-yacht' hotel in the private Ocean Village Marina.
With 121 bedrooms, a spa, two restaurants - The Jetty and HarBar on 6th - and a rooftop terrace, the winners enjoyed Harbour Hotels' dazzling hospitality as well as the delights the coastal location has to offer.
EMG event management group organised for the winners to take to the water with Solent Rib Charter, travelling at 40mph to Cowes on the Isle of Wight, where they were split into teams for a treasure hunt.
A dash around the town commenced as the Acorns followed clues and posed for pictures before boarding the ribs once again to travel across the island and take in stunning views of its famous Needles from the water.
The sixth-floor destination rooftop bar, HarBAR, provided a beautiful location for the winners and the team from headline sponsor CH&Co to unwind on Sunday evening, enjoying a meal and celebratory drinks as the sun set over the port.
Harbour Hotels managing director Mike Warren said: "It was a great pleasure to host the Acorn Awards at Harbour Hotel Southampton. It is such an important initiative and event and shines a light on hospitality's rising stars. Each of the winners should be justifiably proud to join the club."
Monday morning commenced with a reviving breakfast followed by portrait shots and a group winners' photo on the hotel's deck space. Following the Acorn Awards presentation lunch, those gathered heard from previous Acorn Award winner Mark Bevan, managing director at Gemini Hospitality Group, which encompasses the Elms hotel and Checketts of Ombersley in Worcestershire.
Bevan, who received his Acorn Award in 2011 while food and beverage manager at the Chester Grosvenor, spoke to this year's winners about the lessons he's learned about building a team and integrating them into the journey to achieve goals as a collective.
Lucy Ager, 28, operations manager, BaxterStorey
Lucy Ager has seen back-to-back promotions in the past 12 months, moving from mobilisations manager to accounts manager to operations manager.
She launched her career with a placement year at CH&Co before joining BaxterStorey as a catering manager in 2019 and she's been on an upward trajectory ever since. Notably, after the pandemic she added four locations to her portfolio, including two new contracts with an annual turnover close to £4m. She has also gained a group contract that will see five further sites added this year.
Arguably her biggest achievement has been opening Compton, BaxterStorey's first public restaurant. It is her first foray into restaurants and colleagues say she "threw herself at it", getting involved in design and the training and recruitment of Michelin star-level chefs, thus earning a four-star review in the Daily Telegraph.
Somehow, Ager also makes time to attract the next generation of hospitality superstars and has been a Springboard Ambassador since 2018. She is keen to improve inclusivity in the industry and, recognising that one in four of her team were young women, set up a Young Woman in Hospitality group. This provides a safe space where people can talk about how to overcome the challenges they face.
Trained as a mental health first-aider, Ager also successfully promotes wellbeing at work as illustrated by the fact staff retention among her team consistently sits above 90%.
Nominator Nicholas East, operations director
What is the secret to a happy, engaged team?
"Recognition, appreciation and offering flexibility. Understanding each team member and making sure their needs are met."
Charlie Banks, 27, rooms division manager, the Rubens at the Palace hotel, London
In just 14 years, Charlie Banks progressed from a part-time job aged 13 at Rudding Park hotel to operations manager at a Red Carnation hotel. He's clearly got wings on his feet because since becoming an Acorn he has moved into a new role as rooms division manager at the group's Rubens at the Palace hotel.
His career started in earnest in 2016 when he was part of the opening team of the world-class Rudding Park Spa in Harrogate. Following this he gained a place on the Red Carnation Hotels Graduate Management scheme in 2017 with a placement in food and beverage. By 2018 he had been promoted to duty manager and by 2020 he was operations manager.
Banks has demonstrated a hunger for extra responsibility shown by the fact that over the past two years he has stepped up to deputise for the general manager. Perhaps as a result, his potential caught the attention of Red Carnation's chief executive, who is now his mentor, and he is being put forward for the Master Innholders Julian scholarship in 2023 with a view to attend the general managers' course at Cornell University.
Banks not only pushes himself, he is also passionate about inspiring others and has recently been accepted onto the Otolo hospitality mentoring programme as a mentor.
Nominator Michelle Devlin, general manager
What is the secret to a happy, engaged team?
"Empathy, communication and trust. When your team know you as an approachable manager, you communicate clear goals and objectives, and you trust your team to carry these out."
Thomas Bartlett, 29, director of food and beverage, Hilton Birmingham Metropole
There's a pattern of behaviour that earmarks Thomas Bartlett as a winner if you look at his career to date. Hard work, talent and ambition have seen him skip up the ranks since he started as a hospitality team member at a Best Western hotel aged 17.
A quick round-up shows that by 21 he had become F&B manager at Hilton London Watford where he opened a self-service shop that added £38,000 in revenue. By 23, he was front of house manager, achieving the highest customer satisfaction results in the UK and Ireland Hilton estate. And by 24, he was the youngest-ever director of operations at the company.
Bartlett continues to dazzle in his current role, which he started a year ago. Here, he is responsible for £6.5m of turnover across several outlets. In his first 12 months he increased F&B revenue per available room by 24% against 2019 and food and beverage profit per occupied room by 11% against 2019. He also launched a new bar and restaurant, Brightsmith on the Water, achieving £500,000 in the first four months.
A work scheme he piloted in association with WorkFit, part of the Down's Syndrome Society, has seen the first team member to join complete their first-year – thanks to his leadership and support.
He also oversees four food and beverage apprentices and mentors four graduates in other hotels working towards being heads of departments. Is it any wonder he achieved team member engagement scores of 95% in the recent Hilton-wide survey?
Nominator Nicola Underhill, general manager
What is the secret to a happy, engaged team?
"Creating a culture of ‘magic', meaning, autonomy, growth, impact and connection."
Joel Breakwell, 29, executive chef, Casa and Paco Tapas, Bristol
At just 29, Joel Breakwell has earned the role of executive chef of two restaurants in the Casa group, managing both head chefs and 20 kitchen staff. But what's more astonishing is that he made the jump from a commis chef position.
His is a tale of ambition and culinary talent.
He joined the team in 2018 at what was then Casamia as a commis chef, having previously been a junior sous at Cucina Angelina in Courcheval. He quickly showed his mettle when the head chef position in sister restaurant Paco Tapas became available in 2019. Despite being a commis, he applied and succeeded. The transition was seamless, and with him behind the stove, Paco Tapas retained the Michelin star it had earned in 2017 as well as its two AA rosettes.
Needless to say, in 2022 when Casamia closed and relaunched as Casa, Breakwell was seen as the perfect choice to oversee both restaurants as executive chef. He also created a menu to match the new concept of high-end Italian cuisine for the new restaurant.
Breakwell's enthusiasm makes him a great mentor and manager. When he spots potential in younger, inexperienced chefs, he spends time inspiring them to pursue a culinary career. In one case, he took on a recruit who had worked in insurance and had no experience in Michelin-starred kitchens. Breakwell flexed his training skills and the chef is now thriving in the Paco Tapas brigade.
Nominator Peter Sanchez-Iglesias, director, Casa
What is the secret to a happy, engaged team?
"Respect for your staff and their lives, making the environment energetic, fun and also polite. And trying to keep things fresh with new developments, such as new dishes or methods of processing produce."
George Boarer, 29, head chef, etch by Steven Edwards, Brighton & Hove
Since becoming head chef at etch in 2017, George Boarer has been a driving force in its creative process, evolving seasonal dishes, coming up with new ideas to save money and encouraging his brigade to thrive.
However, his first love when starting out as a chef was working with pastry and so in 2016 he joined pâtisserie Julian Plumart, spending 12 months perfecting his pastry skills and even taking part in Bake Off: Crème de la Crème.
Boarer's flair with pastry has been an asset at etch. It was his idea, for instance, to increase the original tasting menu of four, six and eight courses up to five, seven and nine courses, with an extra cheese course option. This has increased profit per diner and encouraged more drink pairings while still offering good value.
Among his personal achievements, Boarer won Brighton Young Chef of the Year in 2017, and having been promoted to head chef, was instrumental in achieving and maintaining etch's three AA rosettes.
As with any manager worth his salt, Boarer mentors his team. Notably, in 2020 he supported his commis chef to win Young Sussex Chef of the Year and reach the Young Chef, Young Waiter finals.
And he looks out for his brigade's mental health, too. Recently, he supported a chef who was struggling to adapt to working in a busy restaurant. By setting up weekly meetings and making sure he was available for a debrief after service, Boarer helped the chef gain confidence.
Nominator Steven Edwards, chef-proprietor
What is the secret to a happy, engaged team?
"Creating an inclusive, open and honest environment, where everyone's ideas, thoughts and emotions are heard, along with keeping everyone's individual creativity flaring."
Yann Bouvignies, 29, head of mixology, Rosewood London
Yann Bouvignies' CV boasts a string of prestigious venues in France, but rather than sit in his comfort zone, he knew he needed the pace and experimentalism of London's bar scene to further his skillset. So, in 2016 he joined Rosewood London's Scarfes Bar as a bartender and found a bright new future, with two promotions in less than six years.
His achievements are startling. As head bartender aged just 24, he helped put Scarfes on the international bar scene, winning awards for both the bar and himself, including Best International Hotel Bar, 50 Best Bars and Emerging Bartender of the Year. No wonder the company trusted him to lead new openings, such as Rosewood Le Guanahani in St Barths and Hotel de Crillon in Paris.
As head of mixology, he oversees all F&B outlets and events at the hotel, and a team of more than 30. Among his successes, Bouvignies has helped develop the bar food menu, nudging the average food bill up by 40%, as well as helping raise Champagne sales by 15%. He has also developed bottled cocktails and Scarfes' own gin, boosting revenue by £20,000 and £25,000 respectively.
Mindful of the mental health of his hardworking team, his briefings incorporate meditation, breathing, writing, and sharing stories. This has not only improved the team mood, but also their productivity, creativity and engagement.
Nominator Martin Siska, area director of bars – Europe
What is the secret to a happy, engaged team?
"Transparency and collaboration. I share as much information as possible and involve my team in projects to make sure they are immersed in the bar's success. Giving responsibilities and challenges teaches the value of ownership.
I like to deliver fun and thoughtful briefings, from taking a moment for meditation to playing rock 'n' roll and getting everyone to dance. It boosts the energy of the team and gets them ready for a busy Saturday night service."
Jennifer Burton, 28, bars manager, the Belfry Hotel & Resort, Sutton Coldfield
Jennifer Burton joined the Belfry at 21 and, already ambitious to grow her hospitality career, gained a bank of knowledge by working across several F&B roles. Testament to her commitment, within just three years, she was head of department of the resort's Brabazon Bar and the Bel Air nightclub.
Her business acumen is evident by the way she leads a team of 42 across the two venues, she generates more than £3m of revenue per year. In fact, in 2022, at a time when industry costs, wages and energy rates were spiralling, she increased year-on-year revenue by £1m and was £500,000 over budget with a 53% profit conversion.
What makes Jennifer stand out, however, is her people management skills. In today's recruitment challenges, she understood the importance of securing succession plans by upskilling her team. Thanks to this, eight of her staff have moved into management positions.
She has also grown her year-on-year team engagement score by 5%, some 2% higher than the industry average, and reduced her staff turnover to 54% against a food and beverage industry average of 130%. All this is down to the fact she listens to the team, is agile in responding to a younger team demographic, has increased communication through briefings and newsletters, and adapted her management style to suit individuals.
Thanks to her training and reward system for great performance, Burton's team are mentioned on average 40 times a month in written compliments from guests.
Nominator Kirsten Price, head of people
What is the secret to a happy, engaged team?
"An engaged team is a happy team. Happiness is the key to success."
Samantha Calandrelli, 29, learning and development manager, Dishoom, London
Samantha Calandrelli joined Dishoom in 2015 and soon tapped into her innate people skills in her role as a head host, managing a team of 27, welcoming 11,000-plus guests a week and overseeing evening queues lasting from 45 minutes to more than two hours.
Armed with excellent people knowledge, Calandrelli joined the L&D team in 2019.
Her agility and skill meant she was one of the first team members brought off furlough in 2020, supporting HR in recruiting and onboarding more than 900 employees. After a further lockdown, Calandrelli was again brought off furlough early, and she wrote more than 130 microlearning scripts and taught herself to create a website from scratch to host the new content.
This year, she has fully flexed her talents, opening the Canary Wharf restaurant and helping to onboard more than 1,000 new starters. As with all good managers, she leads by example, nurturing individual growth with encouragement and coaching. In fact, colleagues describe her "how can I help" mindset, her ability to always look for the best in others, her sense of personal responsibility and her work ethic as infectious.
Nominator Thomas Stroppel, head of learning and development
What is the secret to a happy, engaged team?
"Chemistry is key. When individuals in a team connect with one another, and genuinely care about each other, they are in a position to contribute to the best of their abilities. Good leaders focus on building and nurturing positive relationships among colleagues. As a result, each person is motivated to deliver for both themselves and their fellow team members. This often leads to a far happier team, too. When people like working with each other the work becomes more enjoyable."
Hannah Cochrane, 28, business development manager, Dakota Glasgow & Dakota Eurocentral
Hannah Cochrane was studying for a primary education degree before she was bitten by the hospitality bug. As a student, she'd started working with the café and wedding and events team at House for an Art Lover in Glasgow, but after her degree she chose to take on the role of wedding co-ordinator at the venue, planning more than 300 weddings over 36 months.
Having discovered a taste for hotel sales, Cochrane moved into a series of business development manager roles, ending up at the Dakota Glasgow in 2022, where she proved her mettle in looking after two additional hotels – Edinburgh and Eurocentral – to cover maternity leave. Her success in the role saw her promoted to dual-site business development manager within 12 months.
But she isn't resting on her laurels. Cochrane is aiming to improve her leadership skills through an SVQ in leadership and has also taken ownership of the Dakota Discusses networking events to raise brand awareness and promote the new event space at Dakota Eurocentral.
She is also passionate about sustainability and in the past 12 months has helped Dakota Eurocentral set up a Green team and worked with Green Tourism with the aim of achieving gold standard this year. She has also taken on the role of Glasgow ambassador with SITE Scotland, which encourages the best of Scottish Tourism.
Keen to share the hospitality bug, she regularly gives talks to students and last year launched a campaign with Young Scot during Scottish Careers Week to attract people into the industry.
Nominator Claire Gamble, group director of sales
What is the secret to a happy, engaged team?
"It is down to sharing a vision and valuing each other's strengths. I have always responded well to positive and creative role models who have nurtured me to share my voice, be patient, have fun and to be proud of the brand we represent. This is something I try to encourage in everyone around me."
Felix Craft, 26, head chef and business owner, Stage by Taco Boys, Exeter
As one of the youngest Acorns in this cohort at only 26, Felix Craft has run a buzzing restaurant with pretty much the same team for the past six years, but there's so much more to say about his talents as a manager and entrepreneur.
At 22, this classically trained chef took his team from the St Enodoc hotel in Rock, Cornwall, and started Taco Boys out of the back of a trailer. Since then, he's sold the trailer and taken the same team into a 40-cover restaurant, Stage, in Exeter, and set about creating a farm-to-table offering. He also bought a market garden to supply produce and built a smokehouse and brewery to provide soft drinks, beer and vinegars.
He has built a loyal brigade: "We've moved cities and had times where we couldn't open or pay ourselves or had to stay on each other's floors and in the back of cars after work... So I think our loyalty over the years of ups and downs has become its own family and kept us driven to provide for each other," he says.
That's because Craft puts into practice what he believes in, and to that end, he took an Open University course to expand his knowledge of HR, business management and how to manage a team properly.
He recognises that as the business has evolved, so have the team's needs, with the priority now being "financial stability, time with our partners or family and a constant thirst for development and education."
Nominator Kyra duCros, garden manager
What is the secret to a happy, engaged team?
"As the leader there's been times where it's hard to stay motivated and enthusiastic, but if you pick someone up enough times, they will be there for you when you need it. The restaurant is thriving, and we have young apprentices to train and develop. We pay well, give good time off and serve something to be proud of, so people want to stay."
George Devonshire, 29, group head of marketing, Harbour Hotels Group
George Devonshire is responsible for the marketing across 15 luxury hotels with a five-strong team and an annual turnover of £91m – not bad for someone under 30.
People director James Godwin is certainly impressed: "Never in my 20-plus years in hospitality have I seen someone so young be able to engage with a senior leadership team so quickly... George is clearly an expert in his field with a very strong future ahead of him," he said.
Last year, Devonshire's achievements included increasing website traffic by 15% to 2.5 million users and increasing e-commerce revenue by 67% to £15.5m. Social media is also one of his strong points and he has increased the group's following by 65,000 to almost 500,000, resulting in a year-on-year uplift of 63% in website traffic.
As an advocate of the industry's "book direct" campaign, Devonshire last year reduced online travel agent contribution by 10% in Harbour's coastal hotels and 5% in its city hotels. This saved the group almost £500,000 in agency commissions and increased profitability.
Devonshire's career demonstrates consistent development. He has a degree in business management and a diploma in digital marketing, gaining Chartered Institute of Marketing status. Between 2016 and 2019, he progressed steadily from marketing co-ordinator to head of marketing at New Forest Hotels, before joining Harbour Hotels in 2020.
He uses that experience to mentor others seeking a marketing career in the industry, often giving up his own time. Mindful that he works for a coastal group, Devonshire has also co-created the Bluer Future Team within Harbour to steer a sustainability initiative.
And outside work, he offers the charity Room to Reward advice and marketing support.
Nominator Mike Warren, managing director
What is the secret to a happy, engaged team?
"A collaborative, creative, cohesive and trusting team culture."
Lily Gaspar, 28, front of house manager, the Royal Crescent Hotel and Spa, Bath
Nominator Kate Bessant, marketing manager
Lily Gaspar was only 10 when she started polishing glasses in her parents' restaurant in France, and not only did it ignite her passion for hospitality, it also gave her an insight into the variety it offers.
Her career in luxury hotels reflects this. Starting on the switchboard at Hotel Café Royal London, she worked up through guest relations host, receptionist, supervisor and ultimately front office manager at the Lanesborough London. Indeed, having a solid understanding of all roles has become her professional trademark and means she can more adeptly support her team while growing her own knowledge.
Gaspar's mantra when it comes to getting the best from people is that no "one size fits all", so she has made time to develop close working relationships with all 14 of her team members. This commitment is reflected in the guest satisfaction survey results, with her department gaining the highest scores at 96.42% in 2022 and 96.85% in January.
This personal approach means Gaspar prioritises character over experience when hiring and trains new recruits herself to create a unified standard. This also benefits the wider industry because these inexperienced recruits potentially become life-long hospitality professionals.
Building on this, she works with colleges and schools to promote hospitality as a career and is involved with the Aspire Academy, working with young people who are emotionally and socially deprived.
What is the secret to a happy, engaged team?
"First, each team member needs to feel valued, supported and developed individually. Second, the team as a whole need to be able to work together, respect each other and rely on each other in order to create a good synergy."
Marie-Charlotte Gauter, 29, director of rooms, Hotel Café Royal, London
Marie-Charlotte Gauter never loses a chance to learn and advance. She joined the profession in 2016 as a night receptionist at the ME London hotel and has worked swiftly and steadily through the ranks. In fact, one of the key attributes she brings to her team is that she has experience of being a receptionist, duty manager, front office manager and front of house manager, so understands the pressures on each role and what it takes to succeed.
Her own ambition is borne out by the fact that since joining Hotel Café Royal in 2018 she has secured four promotions in four years. And her thirst for knowledge means she immerses herself in all aspects of hotel life – she is the first person, for example, to go and make beds or clean rooms when housekeeping is understaffed.
As director of rooms, she has been instrumental in growing the hotel's average rate from £500 in 2019 to £704 in 2022 through training her team to provide exceptional service. This is mirrored by the hotel's TripAdvisor ranking, up from 17 in 2019 to 13 in 2022.
However, she cites coaching the hotel's winning entrant for the annual AICR UK Receptionist of the Year competition as her favourite achievement. Certainly, Gauter is selfless when it comes to supporting othersinto management roles and she shares her experiences freely with those who seek advice.
Nominator Simon Coulson, director of human resources
What is the secret to a happy, engaged team?
"Team bonding, communication and trust. Nothing beats a team activity after a long and busy day or week. Connections are also being created outside of work, which can have a positive impact on the team."
Elisia Guglielmucci, 28, director of sales, the Waldorf Hilton London
Described by Hilton's account director as "a great networker, a passionate salesperson and so professional", Elisia Guglielmucci has seemingly risen through the ranks effortlessly. But her success is also down to clear-headed ambition and hard work.
Having set her sights on becoming a director of sales, Guglielmucci ensured that she gained experience in all aspects of the role, including social sales, weddings, corporate and meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE).
It stood her in good stead to become Hilton's youngest director of sales for London aged 24, having only joined the industry five years earlier. Since then, she has generated more than £6m in new demand across a portfolio of hotels and piloted a key social sales executive role in the capital, which has now been rolled out to other hotels to drive social and special events. Described as a natural superstar, Guglielmucci was named Sales Person of the Year London 2018 in her then role as sales manager, having generated £110,000 in new corporate business and over £1m of new MICE business, as well as £500,000 in repeat business.
In the same year, she negotiated summer seasonal pricing for large corporate accounts, scoring an additional 2,500 room nights for the hotel across the low-demand summer season and helping to gain in market share.
Nominator Guy Hilton, general manager
What is the secret to a happy, engaged team?
"It's about getting to know your team as individuals by understanding their aspirations, what motivates them and showing how valuable their impact is on the rest of the team, our guests and business. As we continue to welcome younger generations to our industry, we need to ensure they feel empowered to give opinions and make decisions. Making every day a learning experience is important as is providing an environment where everyone can be their best selves and celebrate each other's success together."
Oliver Harris, 29, hotel operations manager, Whatley Manor, the Cotswolds
Oliver Harris had a solid start to his career, enrolling at the Edge Hotel school in 2014. Among the many opportunities it opened up, he was given the chance to undertake a research project with Exclusive Hotels, which led to him being accepted on a two-year graduate manager programme with South Lodge.
The six years he spent working his way through Exclusive Hotels honed his management capabilities. So, in 2021 when he joined the smaller Whatley Manor as guest services manager, he made a big impact in a short time. Within just seven months he was promoted to assistant operations manager, and last August he stepped into his current role.
His commitment to the industry is evident. Not only is Harris on the Master Innholders Aspiring Leaders Diploma (MIALD) committee, having completed the programme himself, but among other initiatives to encourage youngsters into the industry, he supports the Edge Hotel Schools with visits and talks.
In the same vein, at Whatley Manor he has established a two-year graduate programme and is mentoring two students. In fact, Harris never misses mentoring sessions with any team members, even if this means meetings taking place on days off.
All in all, it is Harris's positive and upbeat support of the team that makes him stand out as a future leader. In fact, his all-round performance inspires confidence to the extent that he deputises in the operations director's absence.
Nominator Sue Williams, general manager
What is the secret to a happy, engaged team?
"Place your trust in your people, respect your team as you wish to be respected, empower colleagues to make their own business decisions and display your empathy as a leader. I ask my teams: ‘How do you like to be managed?' and this has become the way I now lead in this chapter of hospitality. Fundamentally, it's so important to listen to our people."
Felicity Hayes, 29, deli manager, Rick Stein
It seems the Rick Stein Group will want to forever hold on to Felicity Hayes. They spotted her potential from the get-go when she joined the team in 2017 and she has been steadily promoted and developed since then.
Bolstered by a first-class degree in international hospitality management, she was invited to join the group's Future Stars hospitality leadership development programme, participating in self and group development activities that looked at management styles, feedback and coaching. By 2021, she had worked her way up through assistant manager to manager at the Deli, overseeing a team of 20.
She had certainly proved herself capable. The group needed an effective manager to steer the business through post-lockdown changes and, thanks to Hayes, sales at the Deli had increased from £1.2m in 2019 to £1.48m. One of her strengths is that she listens to customer feedback and responds by introducing new products.
Always looking to enhance her management skills, Hayes completed an NVQ level 4 in retail management. And as well as her own team, she makes time to work with work-experience students to help them to understand food retail, and what opportunities the industry offers. Recently, she also mentored a new retail manager.
Keen to support the community, in 2022 Hayes became secretary and trustee for the Newquay Foodbank, giving her time alongside her full-time role.
Nominator Emma Priestley, head of people development
What is the secret to a happy, engaged team?
"Being friendly and approachable as well as taking an interest in what my team enjoy doing outside of work ensures we have a good working relationship. I also focus on training and development to make sure everyone is happy in their role and can provide the best service to our customers."
Lizzie Hennig, 29, head of nutrition, BaxterStorey
Lizzie Hennig's career trajectory and expertise in nutrition makes her one to watch in the current climate. She graduated with a degree in food science and human nutrition in 2016 and continued her professional development, allowing her to sit on the board of registered nutritionists. She also gained experience as a health and wellbeing advisor at ToHealth, leading health screens across food banks, law firms and schools, following up with personalised nutritional consultations.
The advent of Natasha's Law and subsequent calorie legislation prompted BaxterStorey to seek out Hennig's expertise. They created a role for her as food data and nutrition manager to support onboarding to the Nutritics programme in preparation for the roll-out of the legislation across the company's 550 UK contracts.
This was a huge undertaking, seeing Hennig make recommendations to the board on operational management regarding calorie labelling and working with chef teams to create more than 250 recipes that could be uploaded into Nutritics. Her strong project management skills and nutritional knowledge became indispensable, and she was offered the role of company nutritionist in January.
She is now an integral part of the UK food and beverage team, revolutionising nutrition for customers, clients and teams. Among her initiatives, she has partnered with Waste Knot, saving 90,000kg of surplus vegetables from going to landfill by working with chefs. She also launched Food and Mood, one-hour sessions to discuss the importance of good food and nutrition that to date have reached more than 350 team members and clients.
Nominator Andrew Aston, head of wellness and nutrition
What is the secret to a happy, engaged team?
"Having a great leader who enables others to grow and thrive in their role. A happy and engaged team is also made up of people who are experts in their own areas and all work together to form one strong, thriving team."
George Hiley-Jones, 27, deputy head of rooms division, the Lanesborough London, Oetker Collection
George Hiley-Jones discovered his love of the industry in the kitchen, working as a commis chef at the Montagu Arms hotel in Beaulieu, Hampshire, in 2013. Inspired, he studied for a degree in hotel management at the Edge Hotel School and after graduating in 2016 he joined the graduate management programme at Browns hotel, London.
By 2018, Hiley-Jones had been promoted to house manager and then the following year to assistant front office manager before joining the Lanesborough London in 2021, in his first head of department role as front office manager.
Hiley-Jones excelled this role and was promoted in January to deputy head of rooms division. He now manages a team of 46 across front office and butler service and was instrumental in the hotel having a record 2022, exceeding its rooms revenue budget by 21% and budgeted average daily rate by 19%. Among his achievements, the team scored 100% for arrival and 96% for departure service in its recent Forbes inspection, contributing to the overall hotel achieving 91% and maintaining the Forbes five star rating for 2023.
As with any of our Acorns, Hiley-Jones has been giving back to the industry from the start. He became an ambassador to the Edge Foundation on graduation and in 2019 joined the school's board of patrons to become the sole ex-student to assist in the strategic decision of the school.
Nominator Andrew Booth, executive resident manager
What is the secret to a happy, engaged team?
"Making sure team members are truly looked after and have been provided with all necessary tools to achieve a common shared goal. And actively asking them for input so they are able to positively affect their own working environment."
Benjamin Jeffery, 29, sales and marketing manager, CH&Co
Benjamin Jeffery has been flexing his talents at CH&Co since his career began, taking a front of house job while he was studying events management at Greenwich University. Impressively, by 2019 and aged 24, he had become the company's youngest deputy general manager, with responsibility for the £2.3m contract at Old Royal Naval College.
Since then, he has flourished. Not least during Covid, when he supported a skeletal team to manage seven venues. He went on in 2022 to lead a record-breaking performance for the Ironmongers' Hall contract, delivering sales of £1.25m, achieving 144.19% of budget and the highest repeat business ever of over 30%.
Others may have rested on their laurels, but not Jeffery. Last year, he requested a personal development plan across line management, cross group senior leadership training and financial KPI expertise, with the goal of gaining promotion to sales manager by August 2022. He surpassed KPIs, exceeded quarter financials at 120% and was promoted.
He also enrolled himself onto the Level 5 sales and marketing academy apprenticeship with his sights set on a senior leadership position. He has already seen 17% growth in skills and behaviour assessment scores and constantly seeks out opportunities to learn from his peers.
Jeffery is also generous in supporting others, advocating for mental health awareness across his teams, and has weekly wellness check-ins with two junior team members as well as promoting the Hospitality Action Employee Assistance Programme.
Nominator Lily Lubowitz, head of venue sales
What is the secret to a happy, engaged team?
"You spend a lot of time together – probably more so than you do with your housemates or partners – so the secret is to treat your colleagues like family. Have open communication with everyone and enjoy the work that you do. Know when to be serious, but also learn where you can laugh and have fun."
Guillaume Larher, 29, F&B manager, Mandarin Oriental Mayfair, London
Guillaume Larher has five-star credentials, having begun his career at 18 with an internship at the Ritz-Carlton Hong-Kong and studying at Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne.
By 2017, he was at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London as a chef de rang in Bar Boulud. He was highlighted as a top talent and within seven months was promoted to supervisor and departmental trainer, overseeing the training of 25 front of house staff to Forbes standards, and achieving 91.2% in the LQE result in 2019. Unsurprisingly, he was swiftly promoted to assistant restaurant manager.
His commitment in keeping his staff engaged during the pandemic earned him further promotion in 2021 to F&B project manager, supporting the department heads of six hotel outlets, and working on the opening of the Aubrey, following a multimillion-pound refurbishment. In 2022, Larher joined the pre-opening team of Mandarin Oriental Mayfair, London as F&B project managerwith, among other things, the daunting task of hiring 84 team members.
One of Larher's stand-out qualities is that he listens to his team. To that end, he organised an induction day for F&B Management in Training graduates after receiving feedback that there was no thorough induction process. As a result, retention rate increased from 60% to 100%.
As with all talented managers, Larher also looks to the community. Over the past 12 months, he has volunteered at Refettorio Felix in London, a drop-in centre and community kitchen serving vulnerable people. He also orchestrated a beach clean-up on the River Thames, in honour of World Ocean Day in June 2022, which will become an annual event.
Nominator Peter Wharmby, head concierge
What is the secret to a happy, engaged team?
"Treat your colleagues equally, enabling a climate of trust and confidence. And never forget to have fun, as plenty of entertaining people work in our industry."
Hayleigh Mullen, 26, restaurant manager, iasg, Kimpton Blythswood Square Hotel, Glasgow
Hayleigh Mullen anchored her career by gaining experience across Glasgow's best-known independent restaurants, including the Butchershop Bar & Grill and Hutchesons City Grill. By the time she was 24, she was at the Kimpton Blythswood Square hotel, where she has progressed from a general F&B manager to her current role and launched iasg, the hotel's sustainable Scottish seafood restaurant and the only five-AA-star hotel in Glasgow.
Mullen believes in having honest and open communication with her team, valuing and actioning their feedback and placing her trust in them to do what's right. As a result, she has seen her departmental engagement survey come back 12% higher year-on-year.
Understanding the need to promote the industry as much as the restaurant, Mullen invites students for show-arounds and industry placements. She has also worked with HUB International UK/HI People, which gives young adults the skills to progress in their lives, and she helped two of her own team members complete Wine & Spirit Education Trust training.
Ever-busy, this year, Mullen was part of the HIT Scotland Future Leaders committee and also put herself forward to cover the hotel's events department in between managers. No wonder she won a place on the IHG's Rise mentoring initiative, which empowers women in hospitality to realise their ambition to become general managers. This is no mean feat as only 40 women are selected to take part each year.
Nominator Mafalda Albuquerque
What is the secret to a happy, engaged team?
"Ensure you are fully committed to them, take the time get to know them as individuals. It is important to take their comments on board and listen to their feedback. Offer each employee the proper training, your time and resources. This will encourage personal growth, development and keep them engaged."
Carol O'Connell, 29, front of house manager, the Ned, London
Remarkably, within her first week of joining the Ned in 2022, Carol O'Connell had made an impact on the business. It was just after Covid and the team needed a bit of love and structure. In she came with a positive, warm and engaging attitude, alongside an organised, efficient, and detailed mindset. She also rolled up her sleeves, helping to recruit, train and develop an almost entirely new team, and even took on additional tasks, despite being new herself.
But it's no wonder she has thrived. O'Connell has a wealth of experience under her belt. After graduating from Shannon College of Hotel Management, she was one of just 10 graduates accepted annually into the Management Development Programme at Waldorf Astoria New York. She went on to strengthen her skills at Fairmont Pacific Rim in Vancouver as guest service manager and later front desk manager, improving employee satisfaction 9% year-on-year and achieving number 1 ranking in Fairmont North America for overall guest satisfaction.
With O'Connell, however, it's not just her technical skills that shine, as she also makes sure to help her team feel confident and engaged. When recently a junior manager was nervous about attending an alumni event, O'Connell changed her plans so she could accompany the manager. This act of kindness is a great example of her character. She has also recently joined hospitality mentoring programme Otolo as a mentor and will provide help guide a colleague through their professional development.
Nominator Jessica Tapfar, hotel director
What is the secret to a happy, engaged team?
"It is important to support an environment of open communication. A team needs to feel listened to, heard and supported in order to foster trust. By understanding each person's individual strengths, you can support them to excel and thrive in their roles."
Craig O'Neill, 28, cluster finance business partner, Intercontinental Edinburgh the George & Kimpton Charlotte Square IHG Hotels and Resorts
If you are looking for inspiration, in 2018, within seven months of leaving university, Craig O'Neill had started at MacDonald Hotels and been promoted to the company's youngest dual-site financial controller for Alveston Manor in Stratford-upon-Avon and Elmer's Court in Lymington.
Since then, he has sought to strengthen his knowledge of the financial side of hotels. For instance, a move to Almarose Hotels as financial controller for Park Royal hotel in London and Telford hotel saw him hone an understanding of the financial make-up of a resort, Here, he produced his first budget and helped Telford's golf operation celebrate its most financially successful year ever.
More success followed at Fairmount Hotel St Andrews where, as assistant financial director, he gained experience of a large luxury operation and led the change from a manual procurement process to Procure Wizard.
He started at IHG Hotels last year, with responsibility for InterContinental Edinburgh, the George and Kimpton Charlotte Square, guiding the hotels to exceed gross operating profit budget by 72%.
One of O'Neill's biggest achievements has been making finance more relatable – not just for the finance team, but for team members at all levels on a day-to-day basis – by using different teachings to best suit the audience. Not only are all departments now more engaged with hotel-specific financial metrics and KPIs, but financial goals are being achieved.
Nominator Kieran Quinn, general manager
What is the secret to a happy, engaged team?
"Understanding every individual in the team on a personal level while picking up their strengths and weaknesses in the job. Making sure that each member of the team feels positively challenged and giving as much time and knowledge as I can, on a daily basis. Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard."
Katariina Reissaar, 29, front office manager, Leonardo Royal Hotel Birmingham
To get an idea of Katariina Reissaar's drive and talent, it's worth noting that in 2019 she joined Jurys Inn & Leonardo Hotels as a graduate manager, but before she'd even completed the programme she had been made front office manager. At the rebranded Leonardo Royal Hotel Birmingham, Reissaar now manages the front office operation, including two supervisors and nine team members, while also overseeing duty management and front office cross-training.
It's easy to see why she is so valued. Not least, in the past year she has led several upselling initiatives that increased front desk dinner and breakfast upsell revenue by 12.42%.
Always ready to step up, Reissaar has been entrusted with the service and management standards training for the front office operation, which has seen the "product knowledge" section of guest feedback move from 79% to 94%. Equally, more of the team have been empowered to respond to guest feedback, elevating their online response rate to 81% against a competitor set average of 64%.
So, no wonder Reissaar's potential has been recognised with a place on the Leonardo Hotels Accelerate development programme, which is fast-tracking her from being a head of department to deputy general manager.
Her profile outside the company is rising, too. In 2021, the Institute of Hospitality launched its first Youth Council and Reissaar's was identified as a Rising Star and over the past 18 months, she has moved from member to vice-chair to the chairman's role.
Nominator Robert Richardson, chief executive, Institute of Hospitality
What is the secret to a happy engaged team?
"It is about communication and empowerment. I fully trust my team and always inform them about what is happening, and I also inform them about their own opportunities to grow and develop."
Eljesa Saciri, 28, general manager, Zetter Townhouse, Marylebone
Nominator Liutauras Vaitkevicius
What is the secret to a happy, engaged team?
"Consistency is key. Leading, organising and setting expectations within your team ensures your team are aware of the direction they are working towards. Not everyone in your team will be the same, and keeping that in the back of your mind is crucial."
Eljesa Saciri's career journey means she grasps the grassroots of the industry. She started as a bar-back at the Doyle Collection where her natural hospitality skills made her a perfect candidate for development. She proved integral to the launch of Dalloway Terrace and the Coral Room, both in London, and in 2019, under her management, the two outlets generated gross profit of £3.9m.
Her financial acumen and managerial skills have now been put into play at the Zetter Hotels & Co. As well as having been key to restructuring the team and operating standards in the group, she manages an annual turnover of £2.7m converting an impressive 25.33% to net operating income. In addition, Saciri has revitalised Seymour's Parlour as a sought-after destination.
Aside from sweating the balance sheet, she also prioritises the retention of staff by working alongside them to understand their professional goals, listen to their needs and help them to achieve further development. This has proven successful with just 22% staff turnover in the past 12 months.
Saciri fearless in using her platform to support the wider industry, often by creating a safe space within the hotel for hubs on difficult topics to take place, such as how to support people in the industry with mental health issues or substance abuse problems.
Charlie Search, 24, account manager, Fuel Experiences, BaxterStorey
Nominator Charlotte Rouse, head of operations
What is the secret to a happy, engaged team?
"Empowering each team member's values and aspirations is crucial, as listening and appreciating their input can only benefit the team's success. Setting responsibilities and clear communication for the whole team will allow decisions to be made effectively, therefore improving delegation and achieving cohesion."
Charlie Search's passion for hospitality began at 15 with a front of house job at fine dining restaurant the Star Inn the City in York. He went on to gain a foundation scholarship at the Edge Hotel School and, as a result, BaxterStorey's graduate programme snapped him up. Recognising his potential, they gave him responsibility at an early stage of his training at flagship locations such as Amazon, ASOS and UBS. He even landed the acting general manager role for two months while it recruited for the opening of the Warner Music contract.
He certainly has all the hallmarks of a high flyer. In 2019, for instance, he helped launch the Edge Foundation's skills shortages campaign by making a presentation to MPs at the House of Commons, and he has been invited to join an alumni panel at the school's annual conference.
As our youngest Acorn this year, Search has proved himself both ambitious and determined. When BaxterStorey began its Covid recovery, he was among the first employees to return, joining events agency Fuel Experiences as an events co-ordinator and earning promotion to account manager within 12 months.
His results are palpable with a booking revenue of £612,000 in 2022. He also organised Fuel's largest event to date, for the opening of Lidl's new Tolworth offices, with eight traders feeding more than 2,400 people, resulting in £6,000 income for Fueland £24,000 revenue for the traders.
Outside the company, Search has mentored new street food businesses such as RockIT, Baked Bird and Oishi Don.
Kelly-Marie Staunton, 27, director of spa and leisure, Kilhey Court, Macdonald Hotels & Resorts, Manchester
Kelly-Marie Staunton has showcased an impressive range of professional and personal qualities on her career journey, starting out as a housekeeper at a 12-bedroom property aged 14 and working her way to director of spa and leisure with Macdonald Hotels and Resorts.
During that time, she garnered a wealth of knowledge from studying hard, achieving a first-class degree in international hospitality management and scooping the Institute of Hospitality's Aspiring Manager of the Year Award in 2019. Somehow, she also notched up a masters in international business law in 2018, and another masters in North Korean studies in 2021.
That's not all – Staunton has gained a wealth of knowledge through working across the world. For instance, she took up a prestigious placement on the Marriott Hotels Voyager Program in Guangzhou, China, and then spent three years working solo internationally. Among her UK appointments, Staunton was guest relations manager at the 312-bedroom Midland hotel in Manchester, supporting its £15m refurbishment in 2020.
With all that experience, it's no surprise she was poached by MacDonald Hotels & Resorts to oversee the £250,000 investment in the new spa and leisure club at Kilhey Court. Since joining, Staunton has achieved record-breaking revenues of £85,000 a month in 2022/23 against £42,000 in 2021/22.
Staunton's aim is to become a general manager by the age of 30, so watch this space.
Nominator Anthony Davey, managing director
What is the secret to a happy, engaged team?
"Spending time with each employee, and ensuring each person receives exceptional and consistent mentoring, enabling them to receive undivided support and to be the best at their job each day."
Jessica Thompson, 27, general manager and co-owner Mingary Castle, Ardnamurchan
It's no mean feat to run an award-winning restaurant with rooms in a remote corner of Scotland, but Jessica Thompson who, aged just 24, became the co-owner and general manager of Mingary Castle, has within two years placed the isolated Ardnamurchan Peninsula on Scotland's culinary map.
Not only has she generated jobs in hospitality for a small rural community, but after just a year of trade, the four-bedroom and 20-cover restaurant with rooms won several prestigious awards, including a five-star gold rating for the hotel and two AA rosettes for the restaurant in the AA Hospitality Awards 2022.
She began her career as a kitchen porter at Langass Lodge on her home island of North Uist while studying for an SCQ in hospitality and supervision. She then travelled to Australia and New Zealand, working her way up the front of house team at a number of luxurious resorts.
She returned to Scotland in 2018 and within six months was restaurant manager of Albert and Michel Roux Jr's three-AA-rosette restaurant at Inverlochy Castle and had also gained the Wine & Spirit Educational Trust level one and two.
Nominator Abigail Dunn, junior account executive
What is the secret to a happy, engaged team?
"A team should be cared for as much as guests are cared for – this is the secret to my happy and engaged team at Mingary Castle. I get to know each team member on a personal basis, which helps them to trust me and helps me to understand how I can best help them develop in their roles with us. To lead by example by sharing my passion, experience and goals with them really helps in keeping the team enthusiastic about what we do."
James Toth, 28, head chef, Cornerstone by Tom Brown, London
James Toth's career progression since the age of 17 has been a steady and rewarding journey. After getting a good grounding as a kitchen porter, he became sous chef at one-Michelin-starred the Cross at Kenilworth, landing further roles at other Michelin-starred restaurants, including the one-star Hampton Manor in Solihull and the three-star French Laundry in the US. He then moved to London aged 24 and joined chef-patron Thomas Brown at Cornerstone as sous chef.
Within six months, Toth was promoted to head chef and in 2021 Cornerstone was awarded its Michelin star. It's just one of many accolades that he has helped to secure for the restaurant, including AA Restaurant of the Year 2019 and the Best Newcomer Catey 2020.
Crucial to his success are the leadership and communication skills he uses to motivate his high-achieving brigade. He also sets aside time to mentor a young apprentice and has created a safe space for him to learn and make mistakes without judgement or criticism, alongside praising his success. This has helped the apprentice stay motivated and focused.
Without doubt, Toth has proven he is not just a great chef, but also an excellent manager, so when Brown opens his second restaurant this summer, he knows he can rely on Toth to assist.
Nominator Thomas Brown, chef-patron
What is the secret to a happy, engaged team?
"Communication is key to ensuring everyone is on the same page and understands their roles and responsibilities. Motivation is also important, providing opportunities for growth and recognising achievements. It's also important to know how different employees ‘tick', because by understanding their strengths and weaknesses you can help create a positive work environment."
Adam Willcocks, 29, operations manager, Calcot & Spa, the Cotswolds
Nominator Paul Sadler, director and general manager
What is the secret to a happy, engaged team?
"Encouraging your team to grow and develop into more challenging roles within the business; recognising and thanking everyone for their hard work; listening and acting on feedback; and most importantly, coaching individual needs to encourage personal development."
Adam Willcocks has already achieved so much and it is clear he will go on to achieve much more. In 2013, after achieving Level 3 in hospitality, gastronomy and kitchen cookery, he started a trainee management programme at the Thurlestone hotel in Devon, where he rose to assistant manager with a focus on food and beverage.
In January 2019, recognising Willcocks' management potential, but unable to find him a suitable role at that time, the owner suggested that he should move to Calcot & Spa to develop his career. He started as food and beverage manager overseeing the restaurants, functions barn, alfresco dining and spa. In the same year, these outlets took a total revenue of £3.2m. Since becoming operations manager at the £7.5m-turnover business in 2021, his responsibilities are now all-encompassing.
He is interacting with guests, managing the whole team – 140 full-time employees and 40 casual staff – and also maximising revenue across the rooms, spa and playbarn.
Despite the added responsibilities, he has also been active in developing the team through the Calcot Academy. Willcocks takes the job beyond his remit – for instance, former employees still contact him for advice, and he has maintained a strong network among people he has worked for or employed in the past.
And he is also an ambassador with the Springboard Charity, where he takes part in recruitment days, careers fairs and job fairs, and helps young, disadvantaged and unemployed people into hospitality jobs.
Acorn judges
- Charlotte Horler, deputy general manager, the Grand Birmingham
- Zoe Jenkins, general manager, Coworth Park
- Liz McGivern, vice-president people and culture, Red Carnation Hotels
- Allister Richards, chief operating officer, CH&Co
- Ewen Thomas, general manager,
- Christian Conference Trust
Congratulations from CH&Co
Allister Richards, chief operating officer, CH&Co
"Huge congratulations to the 2023 Acorn Award winners from everyone at CH&Co.
"As headline sponsor of these fantastic awards, we have the privilege of spending time with the winners over the Acorn Awards winners' weekend and awards lunch. And what an impressive group of hospitality professionals they are.
"It goes without saying that their achievements so early on in their careers are breathtaking and they more than deserve this prestigious accolade. But that's just one element of their success. As well as being true talents in their chosen roles, they showed themselves to be innovative, energetic, empathetic, charismatic, inclusive and grounded. These are true leadership qualities and there is no doubt in my mind that they are hospitality's future leaders. This is brilliant news, not just for them but also for our industry.
"The responsibility to inspire, nurture and grow this talent sits on the shoulders of us, today's leaders. The recognition an Acorn Award brings will boost confidence and make each winner stand taller and reach further, but that's not enough. We, as their leaders and mentors, need to harness that hunger and give them the tools to develop, the opportunities to contribute and the desire to be engaged and always excited by our industry.
"My thanks go to The Caterer for leading the way in celebrating and uplifting emerging talent and we're honoured to stand side-by-side with them in this shared vision. And to the Acorn Awards class of 2023, I applaud them all and I will watch them flourish with keen interest."
