The awards, announced during National Apprenticeship Week, recognise apprentices and employers in the hospitality sector who have demonstrated ‘outstanding dedication’ to training. 

The Chef Apprentice of the Year award went to Jodie Plummer, for her ‘outstanding’ attitude to learning as an apprentice on the esteemed ‘Forward with Marcus Wareing’ programme. Judges were blown away by her willingness to never ‘shirk away from a challenge’ and her incredible commitment to learn.

Jonathan Foot, head of apprenticeships and early careers at Compass Group UK & Ireland, said: “To win these awards is a credit to our team and all the apprentices we have within our organisation, especially Jodie who has thrived as part of the ‘Forward with Marcus Wareing’ programme. Growing and developing our people is at the heart of our approach to nurturing our colleagues, to ensure they can continue to progress. A big thank you to everyone involved in winning these awards.”

The Large Employer of the Year was given to Compass Group UK&I for the game-changing launch of the ‘Forward with Marcus Wareing’ apprenticeship programme in partnership with HIT Training Chef Academy.

Jill Whittaker, managing director at HIT Training, added: “We are thrilled to be celebrating an incredible year for our 2022 HIT Heroes winners. At HIT, we believe it is hugely important to celebrate the success of our apprentices and business leaders, not only to recognise and highlight future talent but also to encourage a motivated and driven workforce within the hospitality industry.

“We applaud Jodie’s amazing dedication to her apprenticeship and wish her every success in the future. We also congratulate Compass and look forward to working with them on future projects.”