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Robert Walton MBE is a highly regarded luminary within the hospitality industry, renowned for his roles as an Ambassador for The Great Campaign, the longest-serving President of the Restaurant Association of Great Britain, and a Partner for UKHospitality.
In recognition of his exceptional contributions to the hospitality sector, Robert was bestowed with an MBE in the Queen’s New Year honours list of 2007.
In response to the challenges posed by the Covid-19 Pandemic, Robert initiated Restaurant Live, a platform dedicated to providing valuable guidance and mentorship to aspiring individuals in the field.
Robert’s legacy includes his instrumental role as the Chairman of the World Young Chef Young Waiter competition, where he has consistently nurtured emerging talent in the restaurant industry. He further champions the causes of this historic competition through its beneficiary The World Young Chef Young Waiter Education Foundation which is set out to give back to those who may have not had the opportunity to excel within the hospitality industry. Robert continues his passion of wholesome dining and healthy eating through his popular cooking series, “Dazzler Does,” featured on Instagram.
Throughout the year, Robert and his work with World Chef Young Waiter host a series of remarkable hospitality events. These events encompass the prestigious Restaurant Association Gala Dinner, which bestows the coveted Services to Hospitality award, the International Restaurateurs’ Dinner uniting industry luminaries to raise funds for 3 historic beneficiaries, and the Hospitality Golf Classic which unites Michelin-starred chefs and golfers alike.
Added to his impressive repertoire, Robert and his wife, the renowned denim designer Donna Ida Thornton, have assumed ownership of Langdon Court, an exquisite 16th-century Grade II listed Jacobean Manor House Hotel nestled in Wembury, South Devon. With their combined expertise, Robert and Donna committed themselves to the sensitive restoration and enhancement of Langdon Court to its former grandeur with the ultimate house hotel experience now open to customers who want to immerse themselves in the art of hospitality.
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Sean has spent over forty years in the hospitality industry. He studied a degree in hospitality at Leeds University and qualified as a chef, before working for global foodservice business Sodexo, primarily in their events and venues division for eight years as a board director heading up their UK sales and marketing. He has been involved in sales and operations at major sporting events including Formula One, Royal Ascot, Henley Royal Regatta, RHS flower shows and many other iconic annual calendar events. Over the last twenty years, Sean has been a true serial entrepreneur developing several hospitality businesses including a fine dining restaurant and wedding venue, corporate hospitality at major events, fine dining for corporate clients and a food tech home delivery concept in London. He is a fellow of the Institute of Hospitality, holds the Freedom of the City of London and was awarded the Foodservice Management lifetime achievement award in recognition of his commitment to the industry through ACE (Association of Catering Excellence) for the past twelve years. As an ambassador for Hospitality Action and Managing Director of World Young Chef Young Waiter, Sean has been successful in promoting the next generation of young professionals entering the hospitality sector, which he continues to this day.
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Rob started work at 16 in the finance industry and spent 10 years working in various finance and banking roles in London, and a short stint in Malaysia working for a ‘Big 4’ consultancy firm. After becoming a Chartered Accountant, he began to support SME’s on a consultancy basis from a business operations and finance perspective. During this time Rob fell in love with the hospitality industry while working in a senior finance role for Goedhuis & Co, a fine wine specialist and duly decided to start his own wine project, and began importing wines from independent family estates across the world with a focus on sustainable wine making and Wine & Earth was born in 2018. Alongside Wine & Earth, he also operates a pub/restaurant in London, is Global Wine Ambassador and CFO for World Young Chef Young Waiter and is Chairman of a professional football club. Having joined the hospitality industry later in his career, he loves being a part of this programme and seeing the passion from the contestants to go to the highest levels.
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Daisy is a creative Graphic Design graduate. She studied a degree in Graphic Design at Arts University Bournemouth where her articulate application and cultivation of fresh thinking to her design outcomes were noticed by luxury fashion house Burberry. Before devoting her work full time as Marketing and Events Executive for World Young Chef Young Waiter and the Nth Degree Club, Daisy served as a Catering Manager for 3 years whilst completing her university studies, working on live briefs with sports brand Nike and fulfilling freelance work for The Wicklow Hops Company in Ireland. Her background in design, where making change is a principle, along with the desire to create viable solutions for users and brands, makes her a worthy advocate for pushing the success of her generation.
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Jayne’s first half career was within health, ranging from serving under commission within HM Army QARANS, to high level and wide ranging management roles within predominantly the emergency medicine and trauma specialisms of the NHS, third sector charitable organisations and Welsh Government inspection units.
Changing careers in the late 1990s to business consultancy across health and by chance hospitality, she was able to explore her great passion for service, food and fine wines. Identifying her own training needs – within her ‘new’ profession, she studied further prior to becoming a restaurateur both in the UK and France. Jayne, continues to work with predominantly independent champagne vignerons, enhancing their ‘oenotouristic’ businesses as well as brand ambassador roles.
Her passion for hospitality and education is now combined within her role as Academic Director for Hospitality & Tourism Management at the University of Wales Trinity St David leading a 30 staff academic team with over 1400 hospitality students, who progress to work within the UK and globally.
Her particular passion and skill lies within supporting and developing opportunities for those who would not usually have access to training opportunities, whether this be via Higher education, Further education or Stage opportunities by way of widening access styled programmes.
As a country ambassador for World Young Chef Young Waiter-Wales, Jaynes professional experience places her ideally to support those wishing to gain new experiences, whilst breaking down the barriers for their career progression and personal growth.
Jayne brings to the role of Trustee for the Young Chef Young Waiter Foundation, her experience of training programme development and effective talent management, whilst underpinning this with her own passion for hospitality excellence, achievement and opportunity.
