A junior assistant manager at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal in London was named the 2025 Gold Service Scholar on Monday night, a leading accolade for young front of house staff in hospitality.
Irish-born Isabella Condon, 25, joined the two Michelin-starred restaurant in 2024, having held a similar position at the Mandarin Oriental hotel. She trained at the Shannon College of Hotel Management in Galway.
Condon was among 10 finalists, marking the biggest final in the scholarship’s history. Entrants from the finest hotels and restaurants across the UK and Ireland took part in a series of interviews, before 10 chosen scholars were tasked with preparing a three-course lunch at the Corinthia Hotel in London to a table of VIP guests.
At an awards ceremony at Claridge’s, Condon was presented with her title in front of more than 200 guests from across the hospitality sector.
She said: “I’m so happy and totally lost for words. It’s an absolute privilege to work in this sector and do what we do. The opportunities this profession can provide is incredible and we’re all so fortunate to be able to work with some incredible people, doing a job that we love.”
As scholar for 2025, Condon will receive coveted professional development, with various global work placements and training afforded to few others.
Her fellow finalists will also benefit from work experience at a number of prestigious hotels and restaurants, including the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok and the the three Michelin-starred Waterside Inn in Bray.
There are also food and wine trips to Porto and Champagne for the finalists, alongside a bespoke development programme at the Hospitality Business School in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Chair of the Gold Service Scholarship, Alastair Storey, said: “It is extremely encouraging that so many young people with such fantastic talent are joining and flourishing in our industry. It’s also wonderful to see so many business leaders willing to set aside their time and resource to help them build their careers and invest in their future.
"We had a record number of winning finalists this year which demonstrates how standards in our sector are improving year on year.
"It is also hugely important to note that our 'Team Gold' is now made up of around 100 people. The opportunities for development that this has opened up for our alumni both in the UK and globally has been remarkable."
