The Acorn Awards, known as the 30 under 30, seek to recognise the brightest prospects in the hospitality industry. Past winners represent every sector of the hospitality industry and have been nominated by their peers for making an impression in their sector.
Sarah Miller, regional managing director at BaxterStorey, said: “It has been fantastic to see three of our hospitality stars win these prestigious awards. Tabitha, Lily, and Ryan have made an outstanding impact at BaxterStorey.
“We are extremely proud to see their determination, commitment and commerciality recognised at this year’s Acorn Awards. As well as playing an integral role in helping our business succeed, all three winners have gone the extra mile to drive innovation and consistently show great leadership in the care for their teams.”
Tabitha has quickly risen through the ranks at BaxterStorey, and now plays an important role in engaging with the Social Bite enterprise. During lockdown Tabitha cooked meals for the doctors and nurses at Darent Valley Hospital twice a week, and with support from her family, she delivered a staggering 5,400 meals.
Aged just 28, Lily now heads up a team of 32 employees as well as studying her Senior Leader Master’s Degree Apprenticeship. Throughout the pandemic Lily encouraged her team to give back to the local community and created volunteering days (instead of furlough days) for team members to support a local food bank.
Ryan joined BaxterStorey in 2013 as a commis chef before being promoted to chef de partie at one of BaxterStorey’s most prestigious contracts in London. Despite the challenges and uncertainty over the last two years, Ryan remained positive and kept focused on his long-term plan, concentrating on future-proofing his location and securing a future talent pipeline.