Person of the Week

Laura Rhys, Hotel TerraVina, Southampton

Twenty-seven year old Laura was recently crowned the 2009 UK Sommelier of the Year. Fifteen semi-finalists were tested on numerous technical skills and the grand finale saw the remaining three finalists having to pour a single magnum into 16 champagne glasses, filling each equally without returning to any of them.

"We are delighted that this year's competition was supported so well by independent restaurants and chains," commented Sophie Roberts-Brown, Executive Director of the Academy of Food & Wine. "It's easy to overlook the value of a well trained bar person or sommelier - they have an incredible knowledge of wine and are a real asset to any establishment."

Quote of the Week

"Personally I am pleasantly surprised by the Tory expenses - you get a better quality of expense claim from the Torys. I always imagined being an MP came with a moat and a private swimming pool - so I am gratified to find that it does."

Comment from the FT blog

Facts of the week

Visitbritain joins forces with Virgin Atlantic airways to lure Americans

A £660,000 campaign was launched this week...and you might well end up downloading the next number one single!

• The campaign has been launched in recognition of the ongoing importance of the US market to UK tourism, which has of course inevitably suffered as a result of the economic crisis - down 11.5% over the past five years
• As part of its work to educate US travel agents and the wider industry of the shift in the exchange rate and to help them sell trips to the UK, 16 leading US travel organisations will join VisitBritain to create - and perform - a song about the value of a trip to Britain right now.
• The 'supergroup' includes the US Tour Operators Association, Virgin Vacations and national leading tour operators, who will be collaborating with guitar legend Earl Slick (known for his work with John Lennon and David Bowie) and songwriter/producer/musician Mark Hudson (Aerosmith and Ringo Starr) on 12 May.
• This new website was launched this week to accompany the campaign:

Source: Visit Britain

Soros: We averted a financial collapse

"The economic freefall has been stopped, the collapse of the financial system averted."

• Despite his past pessimism for the global economy, billionaire George Soros this week told a German newspaper that he expected that it would recover about half of the losses in the last 18 months, before levelling off.
• His upbeat forecast came shortly after Deutsche Bank economists predicted the UK's recession could be over by as soon as next month, with a return to normal rates of expansion in July.
• George Buckley from the Bank said: "The "green shoots" phraseology might need to be replaced with outright 'recovery'. But, the big risk is you could see a W-shaped recession. We could see policymakers taking back some of the easing too quickly."

Source: This is Money

Article of the week

Did you know that En Passant produces a bi-monthly magazine? Each week we will publish an online article from a previous issue. Check out this week's article on Ian Daly, Chairman, Vapiano. It's entitled "Executing Simplicity"

If you would like to find out more, or are interested in subscribing click here.

Master Innholders scholarships

Hotel Management Scholarships funded by The Worshipful Company of Innholders and The Savoy Educational Trust

Applications are now invited for the Master Innholders Scholarships.

The closing date is 30th June 2009.

At least 12 scholarships are being awarded this year, to be taken during 2010. Interviews will be held in London in November.

The Master Innholders Scholarship Programme awards scholarships annually to managers in the hospitality industry. Successful candidates are granted places on a two week management development course at Cranfield University, Cornell University (USA) or the Ecole Hoteliere de Lausanne (Switzerland). The entire cost of tuition, board and lodging is included as well as a contribution towards travel to Cornell and Lausanne.

Full details of the application process, the courses on offer, the assessment criteria and background information can be seen by
clicking on http://www.MI-scholarships.com