Lauren is Young Guns winner

Culinary Arts Management student Lauren Joseph is a winner of Young Guns 2014. 

Young Guns is a competition open to students studying hospitality degrees, or degrees with hospitality-focused modules which include a work placement. The competition is aimed at students who want to excel in hospitality and demonstrate their passion for the industry. 

Lauren had to create a 90-second video and upload it onto YouTube. She had to explain why she should win the competition, what job role she saw herself doing in five years’ time, and what she enjoyed most about the industry. She talked about her future ambitions and her work placements at Une Table, au Sud and Restaurant L’Epuisette – two Michelin star restaurants in Marseille, France. 

The final of Young Guns was held in Knight Frank offices in Baker Street, London. Lauren was one of eight finalists who had lunch with industry executives – each representing a different hospitality sector. The lunch doubled as an interview as the judges moved places after each course so they could talk to a different finalist. At the end, the judges had to reach a decision on two overall winners – one of whom was Lauren. 

Lauren said: “When they announced my name, I couldn’t believe it – it still hasn’t completely sunk in now. Since my degree isn’t primarily hospitality, I wondered at how successful I’d be, but it turned out that my degree really played to my advantage and made me stand out. I’m really pleased to have won this award, and I hope it will help me achieve my career goal of becoming an operations manager in a 5-star hotel.” 

Peter Ducker, Chief Executive of the Institute of Hospitality and one of the judges, was delighted with Lauren’s success, announcing: “I just want to say what an ambassador for UCB she is, and what an engaging person – you just want to bottle that sort of enthusiasm.”

All eight finalists were presented with awards and received an invite to the Springboard Awards later in the year. As one of the two winners, Lauren also received a year’s membership to the Institute of Hospitality as well as gaining attendance at the Catey Awards: a spotlight on the industry’s highest flyers, strongest performers and hottest brands. 

Tracy Haupt, UCB’s work placement Coordinator, was delighted in the way that Lauren managed her placement year abroad and how the experience helped her to win Young Guns 2014. “What Lauren achieved was exceptional. She went to France alone, had to find accommodation locally and then started working in a kitchen were everyone spoke French,” said Tracy. “With only a basic understanding of French herself, those first few weeks were extremely daunting as Lauren struggled to understand what was being said, but she never lost her drive and determination to succeed”. 

Lauren, who is in her third year of the FdA Culinary Arts Management course, has decided to stay on at UCB and progress to the final year of the BA (hons) Culinary Arts Management programme.