Helping young people to develop their culinary skills

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Thanks to the support of over £700,000 from Harrison Catering and £300,000 from the Savoy Educational Trust, we are proud to announce that this year, the foundation has reached a significant milestone, surpassing £1 million in total funding. This funding has benefited over 2,500 young chefs through Junior Chef courses at Westminster Kingsway College, the University of West London, and Loughborough College.

Building on the success of the Junior Chef courses, we are thrilled to announce that starting in September 2025, the Geoffrey Harrison Foundation will help fund similar courses at Burton and South Derbyshire College, allowing us to support even more young people in advancing their education and skills for successful careers in the hospitality sector.

Scholarships for Future Hospitality Management Professionals

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To date, we’ve supported over 2,511 young chefs through Junior Chef courses at Westminster Kingsway College, University of West London, and Loughborough College, along with offering scholarships in Hospitality Management.

A recent scholarship recipient was Nirdosh Ghimire, a second-year degree student, studying for a BSc (Hons) in International Hospitality Management at the University of West London, who is pictured with Finance Director and Foundation Trustee Richard Harrison.

Commenting on the impact of his scholarship, Nirdosh said:

“I want to express my sincere appreciation to the Foundation. This scholarship will significantly reduce the financial burden on my family and me, enabling me to focus on my studies, career and goals. It will help me make a real difference in the UK hospitality industry.”

Commenting on the support provided by the Geoffrey Harrison Foundation, Professor Peter John CBE, Vice-Chancellor and President, University of West London, added:

“On behalf of the University community, thank you for your generosity and kindness. You have transformed the lives of our students by providing essential support and new opportunities. For this, I am sincerely grateful.”

Nirdosh’s story is a perfect example of why the Foundation was established and why we are passionate about helping young people interested in catering have successful careers in an innovative and vibrant hospitality industry.

Our trustee, Geoffrey Harrison, receives honorary fellowship

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Geoffrey received this fantastic accolade at the Chartered Institution for Further Education annual Admissions Ceremony at Apothecaries’ Hall in London, where they confer new members, honorary fellows and fellows.

This Honorary Fellowship is not just a personal achievement but a testament to Geoffrey’s significant contribution to education and skills development – an exceptional commitment that has made a lasting impact.

Reflecting on their father’s fantastic achievement, Harrison Catering Joint Managing Directors and our trustees Claire Aylward and Gareth Harrison shared their heartfelt thoughts:

“We are incredibly proud of our father, both for his lifelong career in hospitality and his dedication to inspiring and motivating young people with an interest in catering. His vision and passion have provided many aspiring chefs the same opportunities he had, enabling them to pursue successful careers in the vibrant and innovative hospitality industry”.

In 2011, with the support of Harrison Catering directors, his love of the industry inspired him to establish the Geoffrey Harrison Foundation, which supports and helps young people advance their education and learning and, to date, has helped over 2,229 aspiring chefs.

The foundation recognises the importance of inspiring future generations and is committed to continuing to help and encourage young people with a passion for learning to develop their skills and grow as individuals.

Reinvesting in our future Hospitality Management professionals

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Donovan Moss is a recent Geoffrey Harrison Foundation Scholarship recipient (pictured). Originally from The Bahamas, Donovan came to the UK to pursue a career in hospitality and gain key work experience, and the scholarship helped support him through his degree at the University of West London.

Donovan made great use of the help afforded by the scholarship and said:

“I am forever grateful for the scholarship and the opportunities it has created for me. Due to the global pandemic and multiple lockdowns, I was really struggling financially. The Geoffrey Harrison Foundation Scholarship came at the perfect time; it gave me the financial freedom to focus on my final year of studies.”

Since graduating, Donovan has worked in both 5-Star and Michelin restaurants and entered the Foie Royale competition, which he won with his Duck Breast and Foie Royale Wellington dish.

Nicola Conway, Head of Alumni & Development, University of West London, said:

“The Foundation’s continued support has enabled the next generation of students to realise their full potential and allowed us to launch a new student support fund. The volunteering support and expertise have also helped us drive forward world-leading research.”

Geoffrey Harrison, Founder and Chairman of Harrison Catering Services, said:

“Having enjoyed a rewarding lifelong career in hospitality, I’m delighted that our scholarship programme has allowed Donovan the opportunity to follow his dreams and aspirations for a career in hospitality.

Donovan’s story is a perfect example of why we established the Foundation and why I’m as passionate as ever about giving back and helping young people with an interest in catering to benefit from the kinds of opportunities afforded to me and have a successful career in an innovative and vibrant hospitality industry.”

In addition to supporting over 1,675 aspiring young chefs, typically years 9, 10 and 11, through Junior Chef courses at Westminster Kingsway College, University of West London or Loughborough College, the Foundation is also delighted to financially support many aspiring students through scholarship programmes in Hospitality Management.