Jill Stein and Red Hot World Buffet founder named on Women 1st Shine Awards shortlist

The annual awards are designed to celebrate the achievements of women in the hospitality and travel and tourism industries and for the first time this year those working in the passenger transport sector.

Helen Dhaliwal, the co-founder and director of Red Hot World Buffet & Bar which recently reaffirmed its ambitious expansion plans , has been nominated in the Outstanding Entrepreneur category. The prestigious prize was won last year by Drake & Morgan founder Jillian Maclean .

Macho profession

Also nominated are Jill Stein, co-owner of the Seafood Restaurant, who is up for the Lifetime Achievement prize alongside Jackie Cupper, operations director of Spirit Pub Company and Avril Owton who owns The Cloud Hotel in the New Forest.

Stein was last year awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Business for her work in the hospitality industry  and spoke to BigHospitality for a Pearls of Wisdom interview  in which she said she was proud to be recognised as a leading woman in the sector.

"More needs to be done for women in hospitality. It’s been assumed that it’s quite a macho profession, because men were always in the kitchen. I’d like to see more women in the kitchen. Also I would like to see more women running restaurants, being the manager," Stein said.

Shine Awards 2012

"Far too often, women are comfortable just doing a fabulous job," Sharon Glancy, the founder of Women 1st, said. "They don't want a pat on the back or public recognition for being an inspiration to others. This has to change," Glancy added saying the Shine Awards were a crucial way of doing this and recognising female talent.

The finalists in the 2012 Women 1st Shine Awards are:

Outstanding Entrepreneur

• Helen Dhaliwal, director, Red Hot World Buffet & Bar
• Rachael Fidler, managing director, HTP Training
• Kate Martin, managing partner, The Brookwood Partnership 
• Freda Newton, managing director, Jacobite Cruises
• Carolyne Vale, joint managing director and co-founder, Wilson Vale 

Rising Star 

• Caroline Harris, marketing director Costa Enterprises, Costa Coffee
• Claire Jones, first officer, Flybe
• Cassandra Leicester, assembly and manufacturing leadership development scheme trainee, Rolls-Royce
• Lisa Mullaney, assistant general manager, Dishoom
• Emily Perry, marketing manager, learnpurple 

Mentor of the Year 

• Alessandra Alonso, independent management consultant and coach mentor
• Liz Chandler, director corporate development, Merseytravel
• Carol Hay, director of marketing UK and Europe, Caribbean Tourism Organisation
• Pippa Isbell, chief executive, PRCo Ltd
• Paula Rogers, managing director, Admiral Recruitment 

Woman of the Year

• Zoe Jenkins, general manager, Coworth Park
• Carolyn McCall, chief executive, Easyjet
• Jill McDonald, UK chief executive and president Northern Division, McDonald's Restaurants
• Carolyne Vale, co-founder and managing director, Wilson Vale
• Angela Vickers, managing director, Apex Hotels Ltd 

Lifetime Achievement 

• Lady Penelope Cobham, chair, VisitEngland
• Jackie Cupper, operations director, Spirit Pub Company
• Avril Owton, owner, The Cloud Hotel
• Jill Stein, director, Seafood Restaurant
• Tanya Wheway, chairman, Wheway Lifestyle International

The shortlist for the large and small business of the year awards will be announced at a separate stage ahead of the gala dinner on 19 June where the winners will be announced as well as the names of 25 women to be inducted into the Women 1st Top 100 Club.

The dinner, hosted by radio and television presenter Emma Forbes, will take place at the Jumeirah Carlton Tower Hotel after the first Women 1st Conference and tickets are available at www.people1st.co.uk/shineawards .