Each year the Academy of Food and Wine Service awards several scholarships and travel bursaries to help further the education and careers of young people in the industry. These scholarships take the form of work placements in high profile establishments in the industry, both in the UK and abroad, and educational travel trips, funded by one of the Academy’s corporate supporters, to learn more about the food or wine from a specific area. Many of the scholarships are prizes in competitions run by the Academy of Food and Wine Service.
The Academy is grateful to the Savoy Educational Trust, for its support with scholarships. The Savoy Educational Trust is an independent, grant giving charitable trust, whose main aim is to advance and develop education, training and qualifications within the hospitality industry.
The trustees award grants for a wide variety of hospitality related projects including to: educational establishments to enhance training and education facilities for their hospitality departments; associations to support those initiatives that will make a real difference to the hospitality industry; charitable organisations/social enterprises with specific hospitality related projects; and individuals studying hospitality.
The trustees consider that in fulfilling the main aim of the Savoy Educational Trust, namely the advancement and development of education, training and qualifications within the hospitality industry, they are investing in both the present and future skills needs of the industry.
“For me, customer care is all about being made to feel the most important/special person in the restaurant and every member of staff is passionate and really committed to doing his/her utmost to provide the best service at all times. It is ‘seamless service’ where everyone delivers consistent good service, promptly, courteously and with intelligence and enthusiasm.”
Julia Sibley
Chief Executive
Savoy Educational Trust
www.savoyeducationaltrust.org.uk
Below are details of the Academy’s current scholarships.
Academy of Food and Wine Scholarship
The Academy has provided scholarships to two young recruits to the industry to help them learn the appropriate skills and give them work experience in front-of-house positions. Their progress was followed as part of the BBC2 programme Michel Roux’s Service, due to be screened during January and February 2011.
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT MICHEL ROUX’S SERVICE HERE…
The Virgin Rising Star Award
This award, sponsored by Virgin Limited Edition, recognises an up and coming star and future leader in hospitality service. The award looks for someone who is a borne leader and is expected to go far in the industry. The winner receives a ‘stage’ at the Roof Gardens in London.
Louis Jadot & Savoy Educational Trust Sommelier Scholarship
Supported by the Savoy Educational Trust, this travel scholarship offers an educational visit to the Burgundy region and first hand practical experience in advanced technical vineyard and winery procedures.
The Savoy Educational Trust Phillip Thornton Award
Given in recognition of the late Phillip Thornton’s achievements over a lifetime in the industry. Phillip was a past trustee of the Savoy Educational Trust and this award was set up by his family to further the understanding of food and wine service. The award in 2010 offered the winner work experience in several departments of the Andaz hotel, London.
The New Zealand Winegrowers Award
The 2010 winner received a trip to Berlin to attend the New Zealand Wine Trade Tasting where he met the winemakers, tasted over 200 premium New Zealand wines and attended a masterclass by Gordon Russell, senior winemaker at Esk Valley Wines and the 2007 New Zealand Winemaker of the Year.
Ramos Pinto Travel Award
This award offers a two-day trip to the Douro Valley in Portugal to explore the quintas of Ramos Pinto including a guided tour of the vineyards, a hosted dinner and the chance to taste the Ramos Pinto range and tread grapes in the traditional granite lagares.
UK Restaurant Manager of the Year
The winner of the Academy’s annual UK Restaurant Manager of the Year competition receives a week in New York to complete a stage at one of restaurateur Danny Mayer’s Union Square Hospitality Group properties and stays in the top suite at trendy boutique hotel The MAve, in the Flatiron District. This stage offers the winner the opportunity to experience service US-style and former winners have returned with renewed passion for customer service and impressed with the teamwork and communication that forms the heart of Danny Mayer’s restaurant teams.
