The ACE Robyns Award has been created by the ACE committee in memory of Robyn Jones OBE, founder of CH&Co, who sadly died in September 2015.
Entries for the awards will open on 1st March 2016 and people can nominate themselves or be nominated by a colleague. The awards are open to team members aged 35 and under who make a difference in the industry.
Paul Hurren, chair of ACE, said: “This is the first step on a long journey for ACE to promote the incredible talent that we are seeing from the next generation of contract catering staff. We want to show that contract catering has so much to offer in terms of job opportunities and is an exciting career choice for young people.”
There will be 12 finalists shortlisted and the overall winner will be announced at the ACE summer event which is being held on a Bateaux London Cruise on the 21st July.
Entrants and managers have until 20th May to submit their entry or nomination. Not only will the winner receive dinner and an overnight stay at The Shard, they will also enjoy champagne, lifetime membership of ACE and be the first to join the ACE Robyns hall of fame.
Hurren added: “It didn’t take long to work out what these new ACE awards should be called. Having known and worked with Robyn personally for many years, I know she would have loved to be involved with this programme and I am delighted that we are able to continue the good work she started so many years ago.
"I encourage the whole industry to get behind the ACE Robyns Award and seek out the talented staff members that truly deserve to be recognised in some way.”
Full details of how to enter will be announced on the ACE website, social media and newsletter in the next few weeks.