The 30 winners of this year’s Acorn Awards, which celebrates hospitality’s high achievers under the age of 30, were unveiled on Monday at Malmaison Oxford hotel.

The Caterer awards, sponsored by Unilever Foodsolutions, are now in their 22nd year and have through the years identified such figures as Marco Pierre White, Gary Rhodes and Michael Caines, Jason Atherton and Marcus Wareing as future stars.

This year’s winners in full: 

• Gemma Altarriba Olives, events manager, Starwood Central London Hotels, Starwood Hotels & Resorts
• Clothilde Authie, product manager, Guoman Hotels 
• Ajay Barak, executive development chef, Le Bistrot Pierre, Nottingham 
• Lee Bennett, head chef, Le Pont de la Tour, London 
• Jamie Bessant, executive chef, Tudor Lodge Restaurant/PRP Group 
• Paul Boon, director of operations, Café Royal, London 
• Sam Coulstock, customer relationship director, Springboard UK 
• Andrew Creese, general manager, Malmaison Leeds 
• Simon Davis, general manager, Arora International Manchester 
• Olive Donegan, director of finance, Marriott International  
• Corin Earland, head chef, The Fishes, Mitton, Lancashire 
• Alessandro Fasoli, deputy general manager, The Vineyard at Stockcross, Berkshire  
• Scott Goss, head chef, The Swan, West Malling, Kent 
• Caroline Gregory, managing partner, Lovat Arms, Fort Augustus, Inverness-shire 
• Katja Hagenbucher, rooms division manager, Park Plaza Victoria London 
• Darren Harrison, head chef - Fine Dining, Loch Lomond Golf Club 
• Joanna Harvey, group sales & marketing Manager, FishWorks  
• Steven Hesketh, general manager, Ramada Newton Park, Burton Upon Trent, Staffordshire 
• Faye Reeve, marketing manager - national accounts, 3663 First for Foodservice 
• Daniel Rich, operations manager, Macdonald Hotels & Resorts 
• Andy Roger, general manager, Hotel du Vin, Tunbridge Wells, Kent 
• Stephanie Roper, head of revenue, Thistle London 
• Mark Rossi, executive chef, Abode Hotels / Michael Caines Restaurants 
• Oliver Smith, general manager, Amberley Castle, Arundel, West Sussex 
• Ross Sneddon, senior pastry chef, Number One, The Balmoral, Edinburgh 
• Lisa Tobias, franchisee, Domino's Pizza 
• Minna Vaisanen, revenue manager, Le Meridien Piccadilly & Café Royal 
• Coen van Niersen, food & beverage services manager, Sheraton Park Tower, London
• Malcolm Webster, executive chef, Starwood Hotels & Resorts 
• Lucy White, director of conference & banqueting, The Landmark London

For a full report on the Acorn Awards 2008 see next week’s Caterer (26 June).

Acorn Awards: Recognising the young top guns >>

Acorn winners 2007 >>

Watch a video interview with Marco Pierre White >> 

By Daniel Thomas

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