Springboard Awards for Excellence 2013: Winners revealed
After a record number of entries across 18 categories, the River Cottage Chefs’ School and Crieff Hydro Hotel were this year’s double award-winners, while Scottish restaurateur and hotelier James Thomson scooped the Chris Beaumont Special Award.
“The judges were set a tough task, not only to go through the sheer volume of entries, but the standard of the entries were of the highest quality,” said Springboard’s chief executive Anne Pierce.
“What a fantastic night of celebration to reward people, organisations and projects that work to raise the profile of the hospitality sector and to attract and retain talent to this great industry.”
Making a difference
The River Cottage Chefs’s School, which launched earlier this year to deliver qualifications and accredited training that embody the River Cottage food values, won the New Media Award and the Best Recruitment Initiative.
The firm’s head of education Chris Griffiths said: “This is a real privilege for us. We’ve only been formed for a year, but delighted to be already making a difference to the youth and unemployed of the South West. We’re all huge advocates of Springboard, so this award is a real honour for the team.”
Meanwhile, Crieff Hydro Hotel in Perthshire scooped the gongs for People Innovation and the Best Management Strategy. And James Thomson, who owns The Witchery and The Tower restaurants and Prestonfield House hotel in Edinburgh, was ‘very humble’ to pick up his Special Award for his services to the industry.
“This is such a room full of talent and to be part of something that celebrates such a great industry is fantastic,” he said.
Springboard Awards for Excellence 2013 winners:
- Springboard Ambassador Award – Joel Fagg (Puma Hotels’ Collection)
- Best Regional Initiative Award - Inspired Change Limited
- New Media Award – River Cottage Chefs’ School
- Education Pipeline Award - Apex Hotels
- Best Student Placement Provider – Red Carnation Hotel Collection
- Best Recruitment Initiative – River Cottage Chefs’ School
- Young People Award – The Geoffrey Harrison Foundation
- People Innovation Award – Crieff Hydro Hotel
- Best Chef Strategy – Hilton Worldwide
- Best Management Strategy - Crieff Hydro Hotel
- Best Food & Beverage Strategy - Park Plaza County Hall
- Diversity In Employment Award – Talkington Bates
- Best Career Progression Award – Arora Hotel Heathrow
- Retention Award – London Marriott Hotel Marble Arch
- Corporate Responsibility Award – The Brookwood Partnership
- Best Employer Award - Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons
- Chris Beaumont Special Award – James Thomson
For over 20 years, Springboard have been helping young, unemployed and disadvantaged people into careers in hospitality, leisure and tourism as well as being the industry’s natural partner in improving its image, attracting new talent and addressing skills shortages. For more information on last night’s Awards, visit www.awards.springboard.uk.net.
