The team at a luxury Buckinghamshire hotel are celebrating after winning four prestigious accolades in just seven days.
Horwood House Hotel, a 4-star country house hotel and conference venue in Little Horwood, near Milton Keynes, saw its owner Karim Kassam named ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’ at the Milton Keynes Business Achievement Awards last Thursday, while its pastry team won two gold and a silver award at the Hotel, Restaurant & Catering’s (HRC) International Salon Culinaire competition last Tuesday.
Head of Pastry Dilip Kumara claimed gold in the ‘Senior petit fours’ category, while Pastry Chef Rishitha Liyanage took home gold and silver in the ‘Junior petit fours’ and ‘Plated desserts’ categories, respectively. The duo were also both named ‘Best in Class’, with Sean Dell, Executive Head Chef at Horwood House, proudly watching on.
He said: “I’m incredibly proud of them both, and how they represented Horwood House in front of so many talented Chefs and respected Judges. No wonder our vintage afternoon teas are so popular!”
With six years at the helm of the 38-acre estate, which recently underwent a £6million refurbishment, Karim was recognised for his ‘incredible leadership’ in transforming the Grade II listed building into a top destination in Buckinghamshire – through ‘passion, vision, and commitment to the community and his team’. These attributes also saw him named ‘Business Leader of the Year’ at last October’s Buckinghamshire Business Awards, where Horwood House Hotel also picked up the ‘Leisure, Tourism and Hospitality Business of the Year’ award and the coveted ‘Company of the Year’ award.
Speaking on the award wins, Karim said: “It’s an honour to be recognised among so many inspiring leaders at the Milton Keynes Business Achievement Awards. This accolade is a testament to the dedication of the entire Horwood House team, who work tirelessly to make the hotel an exceptional destination. While seeing our talented chefs, Dilip and Rishitha, also earn gold and silver at the International Salon Culinaire competition is the icing on the cake – literally! These wins reflect the passion, skill and commitment that define Horwood House, and I couldn’t be prouder.”
With the theme ‘Bridging the Gap: Skills & Learning for Our Future Workforce,’ the Milton Keynes Business Achievement Awards aim to shine a spotlight on local businesses and organisations placing skills development and workforce education at the forefront of their achievements.
HRC is the UK’s largest and most prestigious event for the hospitality and foodservice industry. It educates 30,000 visitors on the latest trends and issues, and plays host to the UK’s most prestigious chef competition; the International Salon Culinaire.
For more information on Horwood House Hotel, please visit https://www.horwoodhouse.co.uk/.
