Hospitality graduates honoured by industry awards

Date: 18 October 2010

Acorn Awards, Caterer and Hotelkeeper

Two high-flying BU graduates have been honoured by the hospitality industry’s 'top 30 under 30' awards.

Jane Cook and Josie Simcox, who both studied International Hospitality Management at the University’s School of Tourism, are part of an elite group of talented young professionals to receive Acorn Awards this year.

The awards, which were set up by Caterer, are now in their 24th year and are designed to acknowledge flair and reward good work across the profession.

Each year the Acorn Awards recognise 30 people under 30 who are nominated by their peers and colleagues for having made an impression in their field, and former award winners include Michael Caines, Marco Pierre White and Gary Rhodes.

Jane, aged 28, who graduate from BU in 2003, is now General Manger of Cardiff City Stadium. After completing a year in industry with leading foodservice and support services organisation Compass Group for her degree, Jane rejoined the Group on a graduate training programme that focused on contract catering for stadia. She was then appointed Retail Catering Manager at Reading Madejski Stadium, where she was responsible for a match day turnover of £1million, and has progressed in Compass Group ever since.

Jane said: "Winning an Acorn Award is a great honour and I’m really proud to be recognised by my peers. It feels great to have been given the award for something I love doing.

"My time at Bournemouth University was invaluable in setting me up with the career opportunities that I have been given. It not only gave me the sound business basics but also the opportunities to have a placement year in industry. The combination of vocational and academic skills is definitely a winning one and allows students to make informed decisions as to what sector of the industry is right for them."

Josie Simcox, aged 26, is now Deputy General Manager of Malmaison in Aberdeen after joining Malmaison’s graduate programme in 2006. In 2008 Josie was appointed bistro manager for the opening of Hotel du Vin, a sister company of Malmaison, in Newcastle. In 2009 she became brasserie manager at Malmaison Aberdeen, managing a team of 35 and a budget of £2million, and earlier this year she was promoted to Deputy General Manager.

Crispin Farbrother, Hospitality Programmes Leader in the School of Tourism, said: "We are pleased with the success of many of our graduates and in particular with both Josie and Jane who show a commitment and loyalty to the hospitality industry. It is an industry that does reward hard work with fantastic career opportunities. We shall continue to watch them both carry on with their successful careers."