First University Excellence Award served up by leading hospitality organisation
Edinburgh’s Kitchin Group has teamed up with Queen Margaret University (QMU) for the first time to launch a new annual scholarship and help boost career prospects for students.
Kitchin Group’s Annual Award for Excellence will offer QMU’s international hospitality, tourism, events management or gastronomy students the chance to apply for the scholarship each year over the next three years to financially support their studies.
The partnership will also offer QMU’s budding restauranteurs and hospitality professionals the opportunity to gain valuable work experience and potential employment within Kitchin Group which includes Michelin star restaurant, The Kitchin – led by internationally acclaimed Scottish chef Tom Kitchin, award-winning Castle Terrace Restaurant – one of Edinburgh’s most elegant dining destinations and gastropub, The Scran & Scallie which was recently awarded a prestigious Bib Gourmand. All three businesses are considered by the university as ‘Best Practices Businesses’ in terms of service, food and drink both the city of Edinburgh and throughout the UK.
QMU has delivered elements of hospitality and tourism education for 140 years. Building upon more than a century of experience within the University and its predecessor institutions, the current hospitality and gastronomy lecturers at QMU consider themselves the custodians of the expertise passed down from the founders of the former Edinburgh School of Cookery. The University’s courses today are underpinned by some of the simple philosophies that were at the heart of the institution’s teaching over a century ago.
The University’s MSc Gastronomy is the latest innovation within Scottish postgraduate education. The MSc Gastronomy course has fired the imagination of the country’s top chefs, restaurateurs, legislators and those from a variety of food and drink related businesses.
QMU is also home to the Scottish Centre for Food Development and Innovation. Food scientists in this dedicated commercial facility are continuing to enhance Scotland’s position in the food innovation arena and support food and drink companies to develop and market healthier products.
Commenting on the new partnership between QMU and Kitchin Group, Professor Monika Foster, Head of Division of Business, Enterprise and Management at the University, said: “We’re extremely grateful to Kitchin Group for its investment in student learning that will help us identify, nurture and develop talented, willing and enthusiastic students to insure a professional supply of exceptional personnel for businesses such as Kitchin Group to inspire each guest with true and professional Scottish hospitality.
“The combination of talented students who have both solid work experience with a leading hospitality organisation, and excellent academic knowledge, will help to create future managers who can raise industry standards.”
Ron Kitchin, chairman of Kitchin Group, added: “As a business, we are passionate about fostering talent and supporting young people who are interested in a career in the industry. The Excellence Award will not only offer students financial and practical support with their studies but will give them an unparalleled insight into the world of a busy, successful and diverse hospitality business and the opportunity of hands on work-experience within Kitchin Group.”
The first QMU student to be awarded the Kitchin Group Annual Award for Excellence will be announced at the end of 2017.
Image courtesy of QMU.
