Jason Pascall
Age: 27
Position: Food and beverage manager, Swinton Park, North Yorkshire
Career to date...
Pascall joined Swinton Park last September as food and beverage manager, after gaining wide experience in the hospitality industry since entering it straight from school.
His career began in 1999 with Malmaison in Manchester, where he rose to assistant brasserie manager by the age of 20, before joining Cunard Cruise Line as assistant maître d'hotel. In 2002, he left Cunard to take up the role of duty manager, then front-of-house manager at Mere Golf and Country Club in Cheshire, implementing new appraisal and training schemes which helped to reduce staff turnover.
A stint on superliner Queen Mary 2 was followed by a restaurant manager position at Dean Court hotel in York, and his current job at Swinton Park, where he is now responsible for 34 staff and the banqueting, restaurant and bar operations at the hotel.
He was a runner-up in the Young Chef Young Waiter competition in 2002 and was also the winner of one of Caterer's recent reader work placements - at the Lowry, Manchester.
Why is he a winner?
Although only 27, Pascall has acquired great skill and knowledge during his career, which has enabled him to make a real impact in the six months that he has been at Swinton. He has restructured the department, introduced motivational and training programmes, and streamlined operations, resulting in a higher level of service for guests.
Since he arrived, guest satisfaction has risen significantly, lunchtime trade has risen by 12%, liquor gross profit by 69% and cash margins on suppliers by £25,000.
Pascall also regularly promotes the industry through Springboard, offering placements to students.