LEADING hospitality industry magazine The Cater hosted a virtual awards ceremony on Wednesday afternoon (18 November) to present the winners of the 34th Acorn Awards with their coveted trophies.
The prestigious Acorn Awards, also known as the 30 under 30, celebrate the achievements of 30 of the industry’s brightest stars each year under the age of 30, recognising each individual award winner’s outstanding ability and success in their chosen field within the industry.
This year’s list of rising stars included Lake District head chef Dan McGeorge, from Ambleside’s Rothay Manor. Dan has joined the ranks of a phenomenal cast of previous recipients who have won an award since the inaugural event in 1986, including the likes of Marcus Wareing, Jason Atherton, and Marco Pierre White.
Dan and his fellow 2020 Acorn Award recipients were due to collect their awards at a prize-giving event at South Lodge hotel in Horsham, West Sussex, but due to COVID-19 restrictions the awards’ event was forced to move online.
Owner of Rothay Manor, Ambleside, said: ‘’We’ve all had a really tough year, and the hospitality sector has had a pretty torrid time over the last 9 months, which it why now more than ever it’s vitally important we recognise the rising stars in the hospitality industry and the important part they play in helping to secure the future of the industry. The Acorn Awards are a huge positive for the sector and each award winner should be really proud of what they have achieved.’’
2020 Acorn Award winner, Dan McGeorge, Head Chef at Rothay Manor, said: ‘’It still hasn’t sunk in that I’ve been presented with an Acorn Award but there’s no doubt this is one of my career highlights so far. This year’s been a difficult one for hospitality right across the country, which is why it’s more important than ever to highlight the opportunities the sector can provide to future generations. And it’s more important than ever that we nurture that talent as it develops, because it those people will become the next generation of chefs, restaurateurs, and hoteliers if we look after them properly.’’
