Chester Hospitality People Awards finalists unveiled for 2024

Chester Hospitality Association has unveiled the finalists for this year’s People Awards for 2024.

The Chester Hospitality People Awards shine a spotlight on the talented individuals who form the backbone of Chester’s hospitality industry.

Amidst the unprecedented challenges faced by the hospitality sector in recent years, the People Awards offer a moment to celebrate the dedication, resilience, and commitment demonstrated by the unsung heroes within the industry.

From front of house to kitchen staff, these awards recognise individuals and teams who have gone above and beyond to deliver exceptional experiences to their guests.

Steven Hesketh, Chair of Chester Hospitality Association, said:

“This is the second year for these awards, and there has been a fantastic response, with a bumper number of nominations. Our independent panel of judges found the entries to be truly inspirational, with an extremely high standard demonstrated. The People Awards give us a chance to highlight exceptional individuals and teams who fuel our industry’s resilience and innovation. This year’s shortlist features over 60 finalists, a testament to our thriving hospitality sector.”

With 15 categories up for contention, including Rising Star, Unsung Hero, Front and Heart of House Awards, and Chef of the Year, among others, the awards ceremony will be a night of celebration and recognition.

The winners will be announced at the ceremony on Thursday 20 June at Chester Racecourse.

Rupert Worden, Group Catering Director at Chester Race Company, said: 

“We are delighted to host the 2024 Chester Hospitality Awards once again. The overwhelming number of exceptional entries truly made the shortlisting process a challenge! Witnessing the unwavering passion for hospitality within our community warms my heart.”

Stephen Ramsden, Director Saffron Vanilla, said:  

“Saffron Vanilla are delighted to be supporting the Chester Hospitality Awards this year, and we have had so many high calibre entries, they all truly made the judges job very difficult to choose a shortlist. It is very encouraging to see the future of the Hospitality industry in the region at such a professional level. Congratulations to all the finalists.”

Here are this year’s finalists:

Heart of House Award, sponsored by Excello Law

Carol Coley, Mercure Chester Abbots Well Hotel

Emily Jones, Storyhouse

Jayne Weston, Holiday Inn, Ellesmere Port

Laura Evans, Chester Townhouse

Lisa Cheers, The Moorings

Scott Pritchard, Artezzan Chester

Front Of House, sponsored by Chester BID

Alex Ford, Chester Cathedral

Caitlin Walsh, Upstairs at the Grill

Elliott Minshull, Storyhouse

Kevin Critchley, The Chester Grosvenor

Nadiya Cole, Holiday Inn, Ellesmere Port

Zornitsa Chipilova, Leonardo Hotels 

Rising Star, sponsored by Avrenim

Charlotte Lewis, Moxy Chester

Elise Smith, The Naughty Badger Bistro

Kacper Przybla, Upstairs at the Grill

Lucian Otves, Chef’s Table / Twenty Eight

Rachel Karlsson, Artezzan Chester

Excellence in Food Service, sponsored by Chester Business Club

Gemma Hewitt, Carden Park Hotel

Louise Arthur , Rowton Hall Hotel

Nicola Perry-Hesketh, Chester Townhouse

Piotr Kasprzyk, The Chester Grosvenor

Sommelier of the Year

Boris Filip, The Chester Grosvenor

Cino Noir, Chef’s Table / Twenty Eight

Bar Person of the Year, sponsored by The Guide Liverpool

Chris Holland, Artezzan Chester

Isaac Hartley, Craft and Company

Rebecca Hesketh, Chester Townhouse

Unsung Hero, sponsored by The Hospitality Hero

Frankie Blythin, Abode Chester

Jeffrey Jones , Carden Park Hotel & Spa

Elizabeth Butterworth, Chester Cathedral

Mary Parry, Chesterfields

Rob Jeffries, Chef’s Table / Twenty Eight

Young Chef of the Year

Chad Jacobs, Pubs Ltd – The Henry Potts

Ellie Whitehead, Old Bishops Palace 

Ged Jones, Boheme

James Ellams, Fish and Chips at Weston Grove

Oskar Abrams, Chef’s Table / Twenty Eight

Shaun Gill, Boheme

Chef of the Year, sponsored by Horseradish

Andy Shelton, The Naughty Badger Bistro

Cyril Gabriel, Carden Park Hotel & Spa

Dilwyn Jones , Chester Townhouse

Jay Tanner, Twenty Eight

Head Chef of the Year, sponsored by Saffron Vanilla

Chris Clowes , Pubs Ltd – The Henry Potts

Jade Cheema, Artezzan Chester

Ollie Potter, Chef’s Table / Twenty Eight

Sales & Revenue Star, sponsored by CandDo Payments & Elavon

Alex Atkinson, Storyhouse

Georgina Wainwright, Old Bishops Palace

Milly Leeds, The Chester Fields

Top Team Award, sponsored by Chester Race Company 

Chester Cathedral Events Team

Chester Townhouse 

Commonhall Street

Ginger Monkey

Kathy Medlicott and Team Housekeeping, Holiday Inn, Ellesmere Port

Moxy Chester

Reservations Team, Carden Park Hotel

Manager of the Year, sponsored by We Love Good Times

Adele Thomas, Chester Market Manager

Jamie Eley, Chester Cathedral

Kerry Smith, Moxy Chester

Lewis Connor, Upstairs at The Grill

Louise Kavanagh, ABode Chester

Scott Rankin, The Forge

Tracey Wilkinson, The Chester Grosvenor

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