Rick Stein Sous Chef Wins Acorn Scholarship

Jacob Keen-Downs, Sous Chef at Rick Stein, Barnes wins 2020 Acorn Scholarship

We’re very proud to share that our sous chef in Barnes, Jacob has been awarded the 2020 Acorn Scholarship. Run by The Caterer, the scholarship recognises the best young talent in the hospitality industry with an emphasis on helping them develop further. Jacob beat 10 other candidates, which included Millie from our HR team and Stephen a demi chef de partie at our cafe. He impressed the judging panel with his  ambitious plans to launch Inside Table, a networking forum for apprentices and their mentors – a wonderful idea to help new chefs coming into the industry.

Over the next 12 months, two of the judges – Jo Harley, managing director of people engagement consultancy PurpleCubed and Adam Bateman, group operations and development chef, InterContinental Hotels Group, will support Keen-Downs in developing his idea.

Congratulations Jacob – you’re a star. Read his story here.