The Lake District’s Cottage in the Wood has been handed major accolades.
The Whinlatter restaurant’s general manager and head sommelier Beth Bond has been included in the 2024 Boutique Hotelier Power in the Young Trailblazers category and has also been listed among the UK’s Top 100 Sommeliers.
Now in their eight year, the Boutique Hotelier Power List highlights 50 individuals across five award categories: Industry Titans, Business Leaders, Markey Marvels, Young Trailblazers and Unsung Heroes, who have made their mark and inspired their teams during the year.
Boutique Hotelier senior editor Zoe Monk and editor Eamonn Crowe said: ‘’This year, we have been particularly impressed with the roster of up-and-coming talent, who prove that young people are still interested in hospitality and that it is an industry where progression is possible, and innovation is rewarded.’’
Beth was also included, at number 54, in this year’s list of the UK’s top 100 Sommeliers, applauding the art and excellence of professionals who epitomise service excellence in wine.
Nominees for the annual rankings are put forward by fellow sommeliers, industry peers, and diners across the UK. Then an expert panel of judges considers the nominee’s experience, career and educational achievements, day-to-day responsibilities, and performance in competitions to accurately determine each sommelier’s professional successes which are benchmarked against a set of criteria to allocate a score to each sommelier and an appropriate ranking.
Beth said: ‘’What a surprise! We are a small, dedicated team that supports each other and loves what we do.
“To be recognised in two awards for doing just that is amazing.
“But it really is the case that everything we achieve is a collective effort, every member of the team plays a significant part in making Cottage in the Wood the place it is, and I’d like to take this opportunity to thank them all for their dedication and support since Jack and I took over the reins.’’
