Are you a past achiever of the Annual Awards of Excellence (AAE) aged between 26 and 36?
If so, the Ramon Pajares Excellence Scholarship is your chance to shine!
About the Scholarship
The Ramon Pajares Excellence Scholarship, managed by The Royal Academy of Culinary Arts (RACA) and funded by the Savoy Educational Trust, honours the legacy of renowned hotelier Ramon Pajares. This scholarship aims to recognise and support individuals who demonstrate excellence, a passion for people, and a desire for self-improvement that benefits others.
Prize Details
The winner of the Ramon Pajares Excellence Scholarship will receive a £5,000 cash award and be paired with a mentor from the panel of judges. With guidance from the Savoy Educational Trust (SET) and The Royal Academy of Culinary Arts (RACA), the recipient will develop a tailored professional development plan to identify and achieve their goals. The SET and RACA will require regular progress updates on the implementation of the development plan. Examples of eligible personal and professional development opportunities include finance and revenue management training, public speaking workshops, WSET qualifications, F&B masterclasses, and other skills enhancement sessions. The scholarship funds are intended exclusively for personal development activities and should be utilised outside of the scholar's regular working hours, unless their employer supports undertaking this training during work time.
Our esteemed panel of judges includes:
-
Sandeep Bhalla
General Manager, The Connaught
-
Howard Field
Chair, The Savoy Educational Trust
-
Lisa Jenkins
CEO, The Royal Academy of Culinary Arts
-
Zoe Jenkins
General Manager, Coworth Park, Ascot
-
Angela Maher
CEO, The Savoy Educational Trust
-
Guillaume Marly
General Manager Waldorf Astoria London Admiralty Arch
-
Guest Judge: Alexandra Sollis
Guest Relations Manager, Gleneagles
Ramon Pajares was a renowned hotelier who dedicated his career to elevating the standards of luxury hospitality. He spent 22 years with Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, where he successfully led the Park Lane property to become one of the most profitable in the UK.
In 1994, Pajares took on the role of Managing Director of the Savoy Group, overseeing the £90 million restoration of iconic London hotels such as the Savoy, Claridge's, and the Berkeley. His leadership at the Savoy rejuvenated the hotel, earning it the Cateys Hotel of the Year award.
Throughout his career, Pajares championed the development of young talent in the hospitality industry. He served as a trustee and chairman of the Savoy Educational Trust for 23 years, emphasizing the importance of supporting the next generation.
Highly respected by his peers, Pajares received numerous accolades, including Hotelier of the Year and an OBE. He was remembered as a gentleman, an inspirational leader, and a consummate hotelier who significantly impacted the luxury hospitality landscape.
Our 2025 Scholar
The Royal Academy of Culinary Arts is proud to announce Alexandra Sollis, Guest Relations Manager at The Gleneagles Hotel, as the inaugural recipient of the Ramon Pajares Excellence Scholarship.
Alexandra, who stood out among an exceptionally strong field of candidates, has been recognised for her potential, drive, and commitment to personal and professional growth. She will be a truly worthy ambassador as the first recipient of The Ramon Pajares Excellence Scholarship.
As the winner of the scholarship, Alexandra will be invited to attend The Royal Academy of Culinary Art’s Annual Awards of Excellence Gala Dinner on the 29th of July 2025 and welcomed on stage to be presented with her Ramon Pajares Excellence Scholarship trophy and certificate.
The Academy wholeheartedly congratulates Alexandra on this well-deserved achievement and looks forward to following her progress as she embarks on this exciting new chapter.
“Alexandra was amazing on the day of judging, and it was an absolute pleasure to hear about her journey so far, as well as learning about her future aspirations. It is wonderful to witness such passion for the industry, and this really shone through. Alexandra is a deserving beneficiary of the Ramon Pajares Excellence Scholarship, and we very much look forward to having played some small part in her journey going forward.”
“Alex is inspiring, because whilst she is already extremely accomplished, she also knows she is not the finished article and understands the value of mentorship. She is hungry to learn, determined and proactive, and her positivity is infectious.”
Alexandra Sollis, guest relations manager at Gleneagles, and the inaugural Ramon Pajares Excellence Scholar, talks to us about her application process and how she has started to develop in her scholarship year:
“The application process came to life with thought-provoking questions that encouraged me to reflect on my career to date and continued with meeting the esteemed judges for the final interview. Presenting my development plan to the judges was both an honour and a privilege, and the perfectly executed lunch hosted at Royal Bank of Canada, provided an opportunity to talk to them and other finalists on an informal basis, a wonderful opportunity to connect and appreciate the significance of the moment.
“The past six months as the inaugural Ramon Pajares Excellence Scholar have been nothing short of transformative. When I received the award, I already had a vision of how I hoped to shape this opportunity, and the unwavering support and encouragement from The Royal Academy of Culinary Arts and The Savoy Educational Trust have elevated that vision into something far greater than I could have imagined. They’ve supported me in going some way to achieving my primary goal, which was to deepen my understanding of the luxury guest experience by observing how leading five-star properties welcome and engage guests across hotel operations.
“My first placement set an exceptional tone for the journey ahead, a week at the iconic Raffles London at The Old War Office. I had the privilege of spending time within multiple departments and learning directly from departmental managers, gaining valuable insights into the operational logistics of another world-class luxury hotel. Under the guidance of my mentor, Melissa Fergus, the thoughtful planning ensured that every interaction and rotation contributed meaningfully to my understanding of luxury service delivery, while also allowing me to appreciate the unique character and excellence of the Raffles brand.
Pictured with Mateusz - Butler, Emiel - Historian and with Mellissa Fergus, General Manager, Mauro Colagreco.
“The Ramon Pajares Excellence Scholarship has also opened doors for me to give back to the next generation of hospitality professionals. With Gleneagles I had the opportunity to visit Forth Valley College in Stirling, where I spoke with students preparing to take their first steps into the industry. I shared my own career journey, from receiving the Annual Award of Excellence in 2023 to being named the Ramon Pajares Excellence Scholar for 2025 and encouraged them to embrace the many opportunities this sector offers. It was incredibly rewarding to connect with aspiring hospitality professionals, and I am confident that the scholarship will continue to provide platforms where I can help inspire young talent.
“Early in 2026 I will begin a stage at The Lanesborough, London where I hope to explore similar operational touchpoints to those experienced at Raffles, expanding my understanding of luxury guest engagement even further. Later in the year, I will have the privilege of returning to EHL in Switzerland to participate in the Art of Leadership programme with HIT Scotland, a significant opportunity to refine my leadership capabilities in one of the most respected hospitality universities in the world. Alongside these experiences, I am actively researching additional educational courses to strengthen my operational management skills and broaden my strategic understanding of hotel operations.
“The scholarship has already been incredibly impactful. It has enhanced my career, expanded my network, deepened my knowledge, and opened doors to experiences I could only have hoped for. I am immensely grateful for the opportunities it has provided, and I look forward to all that the coming year will bring.”
2026 Application Form
Don't miss this incredible opportunity to further your career and honour the legacy of Ramon Pajares.
*Entry Criteria: these awards may only be entered by previous achievers of the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts’ Annual Awards of Excellence (aged between 26-36 years of age).
If you are successful in being shortlisted for the Ramon Pajares Scholarship you will be asked to attend a final lunchtime presentation with senior members of the Savoy Educational Trust, The Royal Academy of Culinary Arts and industry judges.
You will be asked this question:
Who is your industry hero, and how do they demonstrate excellence?
*Entry Criteria: these awards may only be entered by previous achievers of the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts’ Annual Awards of Excellence (aged between 26-36 years of age).