The 30 winners of this year's Acorn Awards gathered at the Marriott Hanbury Manor last week to accept their prizes. Jessica Gunn asked them how they got to the jobs they're in now, and what they think the future will hold.

Every year, 30 hospitality high-flyers under the age of 30 are chosen to receive an Acorn Award. This year's winners met at the Marriott Hanbury Manor hotel in Hertfordshire to receive their prestigious awards, and have some fun.

The year 2002 marks the 16th Acorn ceremony in honour of the industry's youngest and brightest achievers. One of the things that hasn't changed since the Acorns began in 1987 is the diversity of professions and sectors represented by the winners. This year's 30 Acorns ranged from Andrea Jobes, marketing manager for the government services division of Compass, to Nicholas Evans, head chef at the independent Newbury Manor hotel, to Simon King, restaurant manager at Gordon Ramsay's flagship Chelsea restaurant.

This year's winners also kept with tradition when it came to proving that being an Acorn winner is not just about professional achievement. An afternoon spent working in teams to complete a series of physical and mental challenges - set by team-building experts MotivAction - demonstrated their outstanding enthusiasm and initiative. And the evening's karaoke session proved that a good singing voice wasn't necessary to receive an Acorn award - but the ability to have a good time was.

Michael Caines, holder of the 2001 Catey Chef Award, was also at the awards ceremony to honour this year's winners. Himself a former Acorn winner, he praised the awards for giving vital recognition to talent and encouragement to all those entering the industry.

Chris Black

Age: 29
Place of work: Moto Chieveley Service Area, Berkshire.
Job title: Area general manager.
Job description: Overall responsibility for Travelodge, Forecourt, Fresh Express Restaurant, Burger King and the Retail Shop. I liaise with heads of department, maintain operational standards, oversee cost and stock control, and deal with personnel. Moto Chieveley takes around £20m in turnover a year.
Nominated by: Brian Lotts, operations director, Moto hospitality.
How would you solve the industry skills shortage? By running student placement programmes, graduate programmes, and various internal programmes for our up-and-coming staff, we bring our industry to the stars of the future. We find that, once people start, they are quite often hooked and love it.
Most embarrassing moment: Dressing up as Looby Lou (Andy Pandy's sidekick) and working at different points of my site. It was for charity.
Proudest moment: In terms of work, it was being awarded Site of the Year from Moto. In terms of my personal life, it was getting married and the birth of my daughter.
All-time favourite movie: American Pie.
What would you do if you were prime minister for the day? Make the working day start at 10am and finish at 11am.

Richard Bleakley

Age: 26
Place of work: Bristol Marriott Hotel City Centre.
Job title: Sales and marketing manager.
Job description: Overall responsibility for the sales and marketing of the hotel. I ensure the hotel "grows" its rooms, F&B and conference and leisure business, as well as achieving maximum awareness in the local and national market.
Nominated by: Richard Powell, general manager, Bristol Marriott Hotel City Centre.
What brought you into the industry - accident or planned? Accident. As part of my degree in international business and German, I did a placement year working at the Marriott Treudelberg Golf & Country Club Hotel in Hamburg, Germany. After university and a year-and-a-half in media sales, I decided hotels were what I really wanted to be involved with.
How would you solve the industry skills shortage? By following the German example. In Germany, hospitality is considered a career, and teenagers enter the industry as you would any profession - for the long term. We need to highlight the more glamorous side of hospitality to people, instead of telling them about bad pay and long hours.
Most embarrassing work moment: On my first day at work in Germany, I refused the hotel owner a round of golf as he had not booked a tee time.

Neil Stuart Brailsford

Age: 26
Place of work: De Vere Dunston Hall, Norwich.
Job title: Deputy general manager.
Job description: Responsible for the day-to-day running of the hotel. This involves the implementation and control of quality standards and customer service, event planning and control of the F&B budget. I also deal with complaints and queries, and implement new menus throughout the food and beverage departments. It's also important for me to build a rapport with all levels of staff and management.
Nominated by: Mandy Digby, personnel manager, De Vere Hotels & Leisure.
How would you solve the industry skills shortage? I'd set up more structured training programmes for those finishing school, college and university. I'd also really develop the role of the waiter/waitress in order to promote a career, rather than just a job.
Who is your industry superhero and why? Delia Smith - having worked in Norwich for three years, her passion for food and the promotion of the local area is inspiring.
Dream job outside hospitality: Manager of Aston Villa Football Club.
Proudest moment: Finishing the London Marathon in less than four hours in 1997.
All-time favourite movie: Die Hard.
What kind of car would you like to drive? BMW.

Nigel Buchanan

Age: 29
Place of work: Hotel Du Vin, Bristol.
Job title: General manager.
Job description: Complete day-to-day operational responsibility for a 40-bedroom townhouse hotel, bistro, bar and three private rooms.
Nominated by: Robin Hutson, chairman and managing director, Hotel Du Vin Ltd.
How would you solve the industry skills shortage? I'd commission a set of training centres that specialised in skills-based teaching for young people wanting to join the hospitality industry.
Dream job in hospitality: Very well-paid chief towel inspector at a super de luxe beach resort in somewhere like the Maldives (during the dry season), and chief taster at Châteaux Latour (when the weather is bad).
Dream job outside hospitality: Travel photographer with Condé Nast Traveler magazine.
What would you do if you were prime minister for a day? Sort out the licensing laws, make life easier for entrepreneurs by cutting bureaucratic red tape, and change the planning laws.
Favourite restaurant: Aubergine, when Gordon Ramsay was cooking there. It was simply the best food I have ever eaten.
How do you relax? Walking in Richmond Park, drinking a glass or two of Ridge Lytton Springs Zinfandel, or smoking a Tres Petite Lonsdale from Raphael Gonzales.

Warwick Dodds

Age: 25
Place of work: Northcote Manor, Langho, Lancashire.
Job title: Head chef.
Job description: Day-to-day running of the kitchen. This involves cooking, organising all kitchen staff, training apprentices, menu design, health and safety management.
Nominated by: Nigel Haworth, chef-patron, managing director.
Dream job in hospitality: To hold three Michelin stars.
Dream job outside hospitality: To be a lifeguard on a hot, sandy beach and to get paid stupid amounts of money.
Most embarrassing work moment: While working at Heathcotes restaurant, I slipped on some snow and fell over while carrying two lemon tarts. The consequence was one lemon tart on the floor and one smeared down my front. It was right at the beginning of service, so I had to walk around all night covered in lemon tart.
What would you do if you were prime minister for a day? Introduce 24-hour licensing laws.
Who would you most like to be stuck in a lift with for an hour (and what would you do in there)? Julia Roberts (wouldn't you like to know).
Proudest moment: Winning Young Chef of the Year 1999.
Favourite restaurant: Friedsgaten in Stockholm, Sweden. I had the best meal I've had in my life there.

Nicholas Evans

Age: 29
Place of work: Newbury Manor Hotel, Newbury, Berkshire.
Job title: Head chef.
Job description: Responsibility for the fine-dining restaurant, conference and banqueting and the River bar. I deal with menu design and development, stock control, and hiring and firing.
Nominated by: Neil Matthews, general manager of Newbury Manor.
What brought you into the industry - accident or planned? Planned. I enjoyed home economics in secondary school and decided it was a natural step into a career.
How would you solve the industry skills shortage? I'd bring back City & Guilds and encourage more work placements.
What would you do if you were prime minister for a day? I'd change the income tax rates so people on lesser incomes get more money.
Who is your industry superhero? Ramon Farthing at 36 on the Quay in Emsworth. I worked there from September 1996 to February 1999 as chef tournant. Farthing is a great boss to work with because he's always pushing to get the best out of you.
Dream job in hospitality: To own my own restaurant and be my own boss.
Dream job outside hospitality: Formula One team manager.
Favourite restaurant: The Fat Duck at Bray. It's great to see someone creating something so individual.

Richard Farrar

Age: 26
Place of work: Hilton London Metropole.
Job title: Director of corporate sales.
Job description: To create the right environment for the Hilton London Metropole's corporate sales team to over-deliver against all our targets.
Nominated by: Jonathan Mills, director of business development, Hilton London Metropole.
Dream job in hospitality: Running a diving and tennis school in the Bahamas.
Dream job outside hospitality: Centre forward for Manchester United. I don't support the team, but playing for them would mean a chance to play in some great stadiums in front of quite a few people.
Most embarrassing work moment: It was when I asked my office to help me with this question and someone said: "The shirt-and-tie combination you're wearing today."
Proudest moment: Landing my first job in sales without any real selling experience.
Who is your industry superhero? Marie Be Lallemand, general manager at the Hilton London Metropole. She is a visionary businesswoman, and her ability to make decisions and get things done is second to none.
What would you do if you were prime minister for a day? Increase the pay and housing allowances for teachers and nurses who work in London.

Leslie McGibbon

Age: 27
Place of work: Based at the Hilton head office in Watford. Also works in Glasgow and London.
Job title: Director of communications for Hilton UK & Ireland.
Job description: Control of all communications for Hilton UK & Ireland. This means focusing on media relations, Government lobbying and staff communications. Hilton UK has 15,000 staff and 76 hotels throughout the country.
Nominated by: David Michels, chief executive, Hilton Group.
What brought you into the industry - accident or planned? No one else would have me.
What would you do if you were prime minister for a day? Provide a home for everyone. We have the houses, so why not use them?
Dream job outside hospitality: I'd take a centre forward position in a Scottish World Cup-winning side.
Proudest moment: The first time I bought my parents dinner with all of my own money.
Who is the love of your life? Tuppy, the beagle that I grew up with.
All-time favourite movie: Ferris Bueller's Day Off.

Marianne Haddow

Age: 29
Place of work: Le Méridien Grosvenor House, London.
Job title: Human resources manager.
Job description: Planning and implementing HR activity in line with business plans. I carry out recruitment and selection at management level and work on developing and implementing employee policies. I also advise line managers on disciplinary and grievance handling to minimise risk to the business, while remaining fair and equitable. I facilitate courses in management development and deal with customer service, retirement, long-term absence and maternity leave.
Nominated by: Paolo Biscioni, executive director, Le Méridien Grosvenor House.
How would you solve the industry skills shortage? I support the Government's initiative to introduce vocational qualifications at GCSE level. We need to attract young people into the industry by presenting them with a positive image and making pay more reflective of the skills and effort that people expend.
Who would you most like to be stuck in a lift with? Robbie Williams. We would do a karaoke version of Something Stupid to pass the time.
Most embarrassing work moment: After a quick lunchtime waxing session in the beauty salon of Grosvenor House, I walked back across the forecourt with my skirt unzipped.
All-time favourite movie: Gone With The Wind. I just wish Rhett Butler would come back to Scarlett at the end.

Alun Holmes

Age: 29
Place of work: Kings Cross & St Pancras Mainline Railway Stations, London.
Job title: Operations manager, retail catering.
Job description: Overall responsibility for the 12 retail catering outlets within Kings Cross and St Pancras. I oversee and hire heads of department as well as ensuring that our licensed brands, like Reef, develop appropriately.
Nominated by: Craig Farrimond, operations director, Mainline Railway Stations.
What brought you into the industry - accident or planned? Accident. I was working for an insurance company which moved me into the pensions department. I decided I needed a career change so worked in a bar until I found a "proper job". I loved it and soon moved into management.
How would you solve the industry skills shortage? Introduce retention bonuses for all current hospitality employees; lobby the Government to make share ownership schemes more attractive to companies operating in our industry; raise Investor in People standards to encourage improved people management skills; and promote a better work-life balance.
Dream job in hospitality: AA Gill seems to have a pretty idyllic career.
What would you do if you were prime minister for a day? I'd have a Cabinet reshuffle and a glass of port with the Queen.

Louise Hounsell

Age: 27
Place of work: Kempinski Hotels and Resorts, London.
Job title: Director of international communications.
Job description: Development and implementation of a cohesive public relations strategy for individual Kempinski properties within the portfolio. I also raise public awareness of the brand through print, TV, radio and Internet media in all international markets outside of Germany.
Nominated by: Self-nominated.
Dream job outside hospitality: PR for new pop sensation like Gareth Gates - he's just so cute!
Who is your industry superhero? I would probably say Richard Branson, due to trying his hand at everything so successfully. I also really admire his indefatigable enthusiasm and drive, even in the face of adversity.
What would you do if you were prime minister for a day? I would implement a strategic review of Britain's transport system, followed by health and education. I would then increase taxes for the top band in order to fund our ailing public services and enable the identified improvements to be swiftly implemented.
What sort of car would you like to drive? As I was car-jacked recently, something very old which no one other than me would want to drive.

Natalie Ivesha

Age: 28
Place of work: The new Sherlock Holmes Hotel, London.
Job title: General manager.
Job description: I took over the hotel from Hilton in August 2000. I closed the hotel for renovation on January 2001 and reopened it as a de luxe boutique hotel in October the same year. Now I overlook the whole operation of the hotel. This means everything from overseeing heads of department, reviewing sales, marketing and PR, to forecasting budgets.
Nominated by: Patrick Wennerland, vice-president, sales and marketing; and Lucy Flanagan, senior account executive, Big PR.
Dream job in hospitality: To own my own boutique hotel.
Dream job outside hospitality: Fashion, jewellery or interior design.
Who would you most like to be stuck in a lift with for an hour? Madonna - she's such a great businesswoman. The way she keeps reinventing herself, and is still perceived as the number one pop star after more than two decades, amazes me.
All-time favourite movie: The Sound Of Music.
How would you spend £1m? On a house with a garden, or a yacht.

Glyn Jacklin

Age: 27
Place of work: Manor Hotel, Meriden, West Midlands.
Job title: Head chef.
Job description: Responsibility for overseeing day-to-day operation of three kitchens. Overseeing kitchen brigade of 14, staff training, menu planning, covering in absence of executive chef.
Nominated by: Peter Griffiths, executive chef, Manor Hotel, Meriden.
How would you solve the industry skills shortage? Senior staff need to be responsible for developing and motivating their workers. Motivation is the key to enhancing skills.
Dream job in hospitality: Owning a 20-seat restaurant, with a £50,000 annual salary, a company car and working hours of 9am to 5pm.
Dream job outside hospitality: Golf professional.
Most embarrassing work moment: While working at the Belfry Hotel, West Midlands, I burned about 50 brandy snaps during the Ryder Cup and nearly set the kitchen on fire.
Favourite restaurant: Simpsons-on-the-Strand. It has style, flair and panache.
How do you relax? On the golf course.
All-time favourite movie: Under Siege - a chef with attitude.
Who is the love of your life? Kylie Minogue.
How would you spend £1m? Invest in a golf course with a good restaurant and bar.
Dream holiday: Golfing at Sawgrass in the Florida sunshine with a pint.

Alex Jeffery

Age: 28
Place of work: Travelodges from Taunton to Manchester to South Wales.
Job title: Operations manager.
Job description: Every day, I oversee 15 Travelodges with 250 staff, 1,032 bedrooms and 1,500 customers. This involves everything and anything from customer service, sales, recruitment and development of staff, to opening new sites, local marketing and dealing with health and safety issues.
Nominated by: Simon Turl, managing director, Travelodge.
What brought you into the industry - accident or planned? Accident. I left university with a physiology/pharmacology degree. Straight after I graduated, I went back to my summer job at Little Chef - and I've been with the company ever since.
Dream job in hospitality: Owning my own hotel and restaurant in Scotland.
Dream job outside hospitality: Cricket commentator on England's overseas tours, especially the West Indies, South Africa and Australia.
Most embarrassing work moment: Spilling baked beans down a gentleman's suit one morning at Little Chef. He wasn't pleased and I had to pay to have his suit dry-cleaned.
Who is your industry superhero? Paul Heathcote. He runs a fantastic restaurant.
What would you do if you were prime minister for a day? Increase the tax on cigarettes to £10 a packet.
What sort of car would you like to drive? One of those big four-wheel-drive BMWs, in black (I'm not very good with cars).

Andrea Jobes

Age: 27
Place of work: Compass Group, government services division, County Durham.
Job title: Marketing manager.
Job description: Responsibility for all marketing activity for local authority and Government-owned catering units. This includes the police, prisons, schools and the MoD.
Nominated by: Tony Sanders, retail services director, government services, Compass Group.
How would you solve the industry skills shortage? The catering industry needs to encourage all students - not just those attending hospitality courses but those in other fields like marketing or business studies - to look at career paths in this industry. After all, people are eating out more and more, so the industry can only grow.
Dream job in hospitality: Dessert and wine taster.
Dream job outside hospitality: Personal shopper.
Who is your industry superhero? In terms of marketeers, then I admire Richard Branson, as he is constantly innovative and has succeeded in diversifying into many markets. My catering hero would have to be Jamie Oliver, because he is passionate about food and brings it to life in a way which even a novice like me can understand.
What sort of car would you like to drive? Something fast and expensive.

Mark Kemp

Age: 27
Place of work: Whitbread Hotel Company.
Job title: Central revenue manager.
Job description: Central strategic direction and operational support of revenue management for Whitbread Hotel Company.
Nominated by: Guy Parsons, sales and marketing director, Marriott UK.
Most embarrassing work moment: While working as a wine waiter at Browns restaurant in Worcester, I dropped a bottle of Champagne which caused a spectacular domino effect on six other bottles of Champagne. I got a round of applause from the whole restaurant and a very stern stare from the owner.
Dream job in hospitality: Vineyard owner in Australia.
Dream job outside hospitality: Still a vineyard owner in Australia.
What would you do if you were prime minister for a day? Prioritise educational policy and put an emphasis on learning being fun. I'd also build the national stadium in Birmingham.
Who would you most like to be stuck in a lift with (and what would you do in there)? A lift repair man or woman. I'm not keen on confined space.
How do you relax? White-water canoeing in North Wales or somewhere equally wet, cold and challenging.
How would you spend £1m? On my family.
Dream holiday: Five years white-water canoeing around the world, walking and playing the guitar badly so no one could hear.
All-time favourite movie: The Muppets.

Simon King

Age: 26
Place of work: Gordon Ramsay Restaurant, Royal Hospital Road, Chelsea, west London.
Job title: Restaurant manager.
Job description: Covering all duties including staffing, training, banking, order taking and service.
Nominated by: Charlotte Vickers, conference and banqueting revenue manager, Hilton London Metropole.
What brought you into the industry - accident or planned? Accident. A part-time job at Amberley Castle hotel in West Sussex turned into a full-time addiction. Tim Morton, general manager of Amberley Castle at the time, convinced me an HND in hotel management would be better than a teaching degree.
Dream job in hospitality: Chief taster for a Champagne house, or owner of my own three-star Michelin restaurant.
Dream job outside hospitality: Professional footballer or tennis player.
Proudest moment: Personally, witnessing the birth of my son. Professionally, winning the Young Waiter of the Year 2000 and being offered my current job. I'm also fairly proud of running the London Marathon for the first time this year and finishing in less than four hours.
Most embarrassing work moment: Dropping ravioli on the lap of a guest, who then ran out of the restaurant screaming and crying.
Who is your industry superhero? Gordon Ramsay - but I have to say that, as he is my boss!

Thomas Lennard

Age: 29
Place of work: Dorchester Hotel, London.
Job title: Assistant food and beverage manager.
Job description: Responsibility for overseeing the day-to-day operation of all F&B outlets at the Dorchester. This includes all back of house, support and other related departments.
Nominated by: Zoe Jenkins, F&B manager, Dorchester Hotel.
What brought you into the industry - accident or planned? Planned. My family runs an outside-catering business so I grew up around finger sandwiches and fairy cakes.
How would you solve the industry skills shortage? Marketing the industry, regulating working hours, improving working conditions and investing in further education.
Dream job outside hospitality: Working on a wildlife project such as whale or puma research.
How would you spend £1m? I would buy a house in the West Country with views of the sea and access to the beach. I would have my own small boat for fishing.
Who would you most like to be stuck in a lift with for an hour (and what would you do in there)? David Attenborough. I'm fascinated by wildlife and I could just listen to his stories for hours.
Dream holiday: On a cruise around the Arctic Circle, watching the wildlife.
Favourite restaurant: Pied à Terre, Charlotte Street, London, because they excel at everything they do. It's wonderful.

James Lester

Age: 24
Place of work: Baxter & Platts, BNP Paribas, London.
Job title: Senior sous chef.
Job description: Responsibility for team of 18, producing breakfast and lunch for more than 2,500 covers; control of budgets and training.
Nominated by: Caroline Gardiner, managing director, Baxter & Platts.
How would you solve the industry skills shortage? Large catering organisations should invest more in colleges and students. Better pay would also help.
What would you do if you were prime minister for a day? Sack Stephen Byers and offer free transport to all chefs.
Dream job in hospitality: To be chef-proprietor of my own restaurant.
Dream job outside hospitality: Formula One racing driver.
Who is your industry superhero? Gordon Ramsay or Michael Caines, for their pure dedication and talent.
Proudest moment: Winning the Craft Guild of Chefs Young Chef of the Year 2001.
Most embarrassing work moment: I don't get embarrassed easily.
Who would you most like to be stuck in a lift with for an hour (what would you do in there)? Atomic Kitten (discuss their latest album, of course).
What sort of car would you like to drive? Ferrari 360 Modena.

Nina Marshall

Age: 27
Place of work: Thistle support office, Edgware Road, London.
Job title: Human resources manager (London).
Job description: Overseeing the human resources function of 22 hotels in London. This includes managing internal training and development, the development of policies and procedures for recognising and rewarding achievement, recruitment strategies and complying with employment law.
Nominated by: Alex Stuart, operations director, Thistle Hotels.
How would you solve the industry skills shortage? I'd increase wages across the industry and allow immigrants (pending Government decision on asylum status) to work in hospitality. I'd also promote hospitality to schools as a career, not just a job.
What brought you into the industry - accident or planned? Planned. I started work as a waitress at the age of 15 in a local hotel in Manchester, enjoyed it and decided to continue.
Most embarrassing work moment: While on a placement in a Blackpool hotel from university, aged 18, a guest called and asked to speak to the room attendant who cleaned his room the previous day - me. He asked if I'd found a condom (used), and I had. His response was: "Oh good - I just wanted to check I'd used one!"
Who is the love of your life? Tim, my pet snake.

Richard Mayne

Age: 26
Place of work: Edinburgh Marriott.
Job title: Operations manager.
Job description: Responsibility for the day-to-day running of a 245-bedroom hotel. This includes budget planning for individual departments, staff training and recruitment of associates.
Nominated by: David Beswick, general manager, Marriott Hotel and Country Club, Goodwood, Chichester and West Sussex.
How would you solve the industry skills shortage? By offering school leavers the chance to get paid while they train. I think NVQs are great for this. People need to learn basic core knowledge first and then their understanding of the business will grow later.
Dream job in hospitality: Brand standard auditor for Marriott International.
Dream job outside hospitality: Test driver for Formula One cars.
What would you do if you were prime minister for a day? I'd get the best tickets for the best sporting event taking place that day - hopefully, a rugby match.
Most embarrassing work moment: Walking into a guest's bedroom at an inopportune moment.
Who is your industry superhero? David Beswick, general manager of Goodwood Hotel and Country Club in West Sussex - a gentleman hotelier.
What sort of car would you like to drive? A top-of-the-range Range Rover Vogue 4.8 SE. I would be quite the gentleman.

Kara McGann

Age: 27
Place of work: Jurys Doyle headquarters, Dublin.
Job title: Career development manager.
Job description: Responsibility for the development of career paths at all levels, including management. Introduction and management of a programme of competency-based recruitment, selection, training, assessment and career progression within the company.
Nominated by: Jennifer Lee, Group HR manager, Jurys Doyle.
How would you solve the industry skills shortage? Improve links between the hospitality industry and "women returners" and the "third age" (for example, early retirees) workforce. Look at the reskilling of prospective employees following redundancies.
Who is your industry superhero? Jas Mooney, managing director, Botanic Inns. He manages people through team building and achieves excellent results.
Dream job outside hospitality: Occupational psychologist.
Who would you most like to be stuck in a lift with for an hour (and what would you do in there)? A comedian like Jack Dee - if you're going to be stuck in a lift you may as well be entertained.
How would you spend £1m? So many shops, so little time.
What sort of car would you like to drive? A red Ferrari.
How do you relax? Curled up with a good psychological thriller, or yoga.

Gillian McKnight

Age: 28
Place of work: Hilton London Metropole.
Job title: Director of sales, meetings, incentives, conferences and associations.
Job description: Managing a team of seven and ensuring we work together to meet an annual sales budget of £20m. As an individual, focusing specifically on the pharmaceutical market and the US meetings and incentives market.
Nominated by: Grant Hearn, managing director, Hilton UK.
Dream job in hospitality: Own my own restaurant.
What brought you into in the industry - accident or planned? Accident. I studied communication studies at university with the ultimate goal of getting into television. After university, a friend got a job working in sales for Stakis Hotels and, shortly after starting, she recommended me for a position. I got it and stayed.
Who is your industry superhero? Jonathan Mills, director of business development, Hilton London Metropole, because of his energy, dedication, knowledge and ability to "make it happen".
Most embarrassing work moment: Running out of petrol on the M4 and subsequently trying to convince the client that I ended up being late to see that I was not a complete idiot.
Dream holiday: On safari in Africa.
All-time favourite movie: Bridget Jones's Diary.

Adam Nossek

Age: 25
Place of work: BaxterSmith.
Job title: Company development chef.
Job description: Responsibility for the training and development of the 80-plus chefs within the organisation. Remit to implement the highest food service standards throughout the estate, currently comprising 30 sites (contracts) with a combined annual turnover in excess of £15m.
Nominated by: Mike Smith, managing director, BaxterSmith.
How would you solve the industry skills shortage? Full funding for over-25s on NVQs; actively promote industry role-models to schools; motivate and revitalise the over-30s to stop them leaving the industry; recognise the importance of people power.
Most embarrassing work moment: I was working at a large legal firm about four years ago, and my catering manager sent my new head chef bread rolls that I had burnt, with a note saying: "This is what your new sous chef is capable of."
What would you do if you were prime minister for a day? Abolish VAT in staff restaurants and relax licensing laws still further.
Who is your industry superhero? Gordon Ramsay, because of his absolute determination to be the best in the restaurant industry and because of what he has already achieved. He has a distinctive yet classical style to his food that no one in the UK has an edge on.

Lloyd Pearson

Age: 28
Place of work: Quadrant Catering Ltd.
Job title: Group catering manager.
Job description: Responsibility for full operational control of four sites - two large Post Office sites with 1,200 customers a site, and two external sites for the Government Health & Safety Executive with 35 staff. Duties include financial planning, staff training, personnel procedures, customer care, enforcing quality service and standards throughout.
Nominated by: Alison Aucott, operations manager, Quadrant Catering Ltd.
What brought you into the industry - accident or planned? Planned. It was either catering or a football goalkeeper but, as I am only 5ft7in, the players kept chipping the ball over my head. I chose catering.
Dream job in hospitality: Head of catering for Manchester United Football Club.
Dream job outside hospitality: Playing football for Manchester United and England.
Who is your industry superhero? It has to be Rusty Lee, who used to do a dish-a-day on morning breakfast television. I will always remember watching her in my school days.
How do you relax? Race quad bikes, snowboarding.
How would you spend £1m? I would invest it and turn it into millions. Then I would buy every motorised toy I have ever wanted.

Helen Peart

Age: 29
Place of work: Hilton UK & Ireland.
Job title: Vocational qualifications (VQ) manager, Scotland.
Job description: Manage quality assurance of VQ programme within Scotland; set targets for sign-up and completion of candidates on programme; manage relationship with external providers, including Local Enterprise Council and awarding body; generate funding to cover cost of programme; and contribute to company profit. Programme had more than 300 candidates and 150 assessors in 2001.
Nominated by: Simon Sprowell, director of training and development, Hilton UK & Ireland.
Dream job in hospitality: Mystery customer who would then devise training around gaps in standards.
Dream job outside hospitality: Travel reporter.
Most embarrassing work moment: I'm a bit of a control freak so generally I do anything to ensure that I don't ever find myself in an embarrassing situation.
Who would you most like to be stuck in a lift with for an hour (and what would you do in there)? John Simpson - to ask and listen about the places he has been and what he thinks about what is going on in the aforementioned places.
All-time favourite movie: Grease.
What sort of car would you like to drive? Porsche Boxster.

Jane Riches

Age: 28
Place of work: Springboard UK.
Job title: National programmes manager.
Job description: To develop the content of Springboard UK's range of training and awareness programmes in order to meet the needs of different target audiences and sponsors. Ensuring programmes inspire participants to develop further awareness of the various jobs and careers available within hospitality. Programmes include the Springboard UK Ambassador Programme, Summer School, Young Managers, FutureChef competition, "Gate Gossip" returners to work.
Nominated by: Tammy Mariaux, managing director of Out-Saucing.
Dream job in hospitality: Running my own hospitality-related business.
Dream job outside hospitality: TV presenter - or a parachute instructor.
Who is your industry superhero? Brian Turner - very inspiring, enthusiastic and dedicated to the industry.
Most embarrassing work moment: Just after starting a summer job in Zermatt, Switzerland, aged 19, I dropped a whole tray of full Champagne glasses on the ballroom floor in front of everyone, just as the speeches were about to begin, so everyone was silent.
Proudest moment: My graduation ceremony, where I gained a 2:1 degree in hospitality business management.
All-time favourite movie: My Fair Lady or Breakfast at Tiffany's. Basically, anything with Audrey Hepburn, as I'm a big fan.

Giles Selves

Age: 25
Place of work: Park Lane Hotel, London.
Job title: Food and beverage services manager.
Job description: Responsibility for the profitable and effective management of all F&B outlets and back of house departments within the hotel, which has revenues in excess of £2.5m and a full-time staff of 70.
Nominated by: Colin Bennett, general manager, Starwood Central London Hotels.
What brought you into the industry - accident or planned? Accident. I didn't want to finish my A-levels.
How would you solve the industry skills shortage? Pay more money, thus encouraging more people to join the industry in the first place. Also, asking more people from within the industry to be involved with colleges, training and competitions, etc. Improve working hours.
Dream job in hospitality: Managing director of Raffles, Singapore.
Dream job outside hospitality: Managing a Formula One racing team.
Most embarrassing work moment: Entering a room to deliver a food order and finding the two people in there making-out. They didn't stop, just asked me to leave it on the side.
How do you relax? Running, travelling and shirt shopping.
Favourite restaurant: L'Oasis - my local East End eatery/winebar and an absolute hidden treasure.

Mathew Shropshall

Age: 26
Place of work: Royal Oak and Manor Restaurant.
Job title: Company director.
Job description: Day-to-day running of two businesses - drawing up rotas, marketing, management, buying, recruiting, food service, etc.
Nominated by: Self-nominated.
How would you solve the industry skills shortage? Send everybody to train at the Birmingham College of Food.
Dream job in hospitality: Company director of a high-class restaurant in Birmingham or Ashbourne.
Favourite restaurant: Petit Blanc, Birmingham.
What would you do if you were prime minister for a day? Crack down on crime and improve the country's morale. "Put the Great back into Britain."
Who would you most like to be stuck in a lift with for an hour (and what would you do in there)? Terence Conran (to ask him about designing the ultimate restaurant).
Who is your industry superhero? Raymond Blanc, because he is a super businessman and a brilliant chef.
How do you relax? Horse riding, clay pigeon shooting, eating out, playing football and going to the gym.

Wayne Topley

Age: 29
Place of work: Marriott Forest of Arden Hotel and Country Club.
Job title: Operations manager.
Job description: Overall responsibility for the effective management of hotel product and operations team.
Nominated by: Heiko Figge, general manager, Marriott Forest of Arden.
Dream job in hospitality: Managing director, Whitbread Hotel Company.
Dream job outside hospitality: Theme park manager/owner.
Most embarrassing work moment: Checking in former Blue Peter presenter Peter Purvis while having to wear a mock 12in Blue Peter badge that had been made earlier as a joke for the occasion - and having to pretend that I was a real fan.
What would you do if you were prime minister for a day? Ensure that all Sunday drivers hand in their licenses; make using a mobile phone in the cinema an offence with a 10-year sentence; and raise the tax on cigarettes to pay for the first two.
Who would you most like to be stuck in a lift with for an hour (and what would you do in there)? Anyone who thinks that hospitality as a career is for unskilled, untalented people to work in, or someone who would like to work in a hotel, because they "like staying in them". (Provide a complimentary reality check.)

The sponsor

Calum Ross, business group director for Caterplan, Unilever Bestfoods UK says:

"Good people are at the core of all our businesses, no matter what industry we operate in. In hospitality, people are our business, and recognising their huge contribution towards the success of our industry offers us the greatest path for growth.

"This is why Caterplan is once again delighted to be the official sponsor of the Acorn Awards, acknowledging and rewarding the talent and dedication of outstanding young professionals working in the hospitality industry. These prestigious awards are regarded as the benchmark by which we celebrate and encourage the young stars of today to become the leading lights of tomorrow.

"At a time when, industry-wide, we are working to rebuild the image of hospitality and tourism in the UK - following the impact of foot-and-mouth and the tragic events of 11 September - it has never been more pertinent to promote the industry as the exciting and challenging business it is. I can think of no better way to do this than through our people, and the Acorn Awards offer the perfect vehicle.

"Caterplan as a business strives

for excellence in all fields. The name behind many of the leading food brands in catering - such as Knorr, PG Tips, Flora, Hellmann's, Marmite and Ambrosia - Caterplan is delighted to continue to support the Acorn Awards, recognising excellence in the young people who will build the future of our industry. Today's young achievers have our continuing support for their future careers."