Isabella Condon from Newcastle West to compete in prestigious hospitality competition in UK

NEWCASTLE West woman Isabella Condon has secured a place in a prestigious hospitality competition.

Isabella is the Junior Assistant Restaurant Manager at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal and has become one of just ten finalists in a contest recognising the UK's best restaurant staff.

She grew up in the industry working with her Dad and family at Marguerites Bakery & Restaurant in Newcastle West. Isabella graduated from the Shannon College of Hotel Management and since then has been exploring luxury 5 star hospitality at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park London.

Isabella is competing in the final of the 2025 Gold Service Scholarship – a competition for young food and beverage service professionals in the UK – at Corinthia London today where she will serve high-profile guests from across the hospitality sector.

The finalists will be expected to plan, prepare for, and serve a three-course lunch to a table of four guests, including canapés, champagne and wines, with three dishes served table side. They will be judged on their ‘mise en place’, welcome, table service, wine and beverage service; and most importantly, their professionalism and demeanour, social skills and potential.

The winning Scholar of the 2025 Gold Service Scholarship will be announced at an awards ceremony taking place at Claridge’s in London on Monday, February 10.

Edward Griffiths, trustee and chair of judges, said: “This has been another exceptional year, so much so that we had to extend the number of semi-finalists and now the final itself includes more candidates than ever before. My fellow judges and I are extremely excited for the upcoming final and would like to wish a hearty congratulations to all of the winning finalists.

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“Making it to the quarter and semi finals in the competition is already an exceptional achievement and these candidates have all demonstrated great skill and passion to reach the final.

The finalists were selected from what was the Gold Service Scholarship's biggest ever semi-final. Fifty candidates made it to that stage of the competition, following quarter-finals in October at the Langham and Hotel Café Royal in London, where they were tested on their food and beverage knowledge through interviews, written assessments and a table layout test.

Each year’s finalists and winning Scholar receive a range of prizes tailored to support their professional development, including a trip to Porto, a bespoke development programme at EHL Hospitality Business School in Lausanne, Switzerland, and the opportunity to work a garden party at Buckingham Palace.

The scholar and a commended finalist also benefit from work experience at prestigious hotels and restaurants such as the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok and Hong Kong, an overseas Rocco Forte hotel, and the three-Michelin-starred Waterside Inn in Bray, Berkshire, as well as a trip to Laurent-Perrier in Champagne.

All finalists also receive a host of professional development opportunities, and automatically join the Team Gold alumni network.

The Gold Service Scholarship was launched in 2012 with the aim of inspiring the UK’s up and coming front of house talent through mentoring, study and placement opportunities.