Paddy & Scott's man wins Acorn Award for young hospitality stars

Head barista at Paddy & Scott’s |Kit Wilkins-Smith has been recognised as among the top young achievers in the hospitality industry.

Kit from Bury St Edmunds has received an Acorn Award which is handed to just 30 people under the age of 30 in recognition of their skill and drive.

The former West Suffolk College student is now responsible for training baristas across the independent coffee business.

Kit played a hands-on role in developing the Paddy & Scott's Muchomba Coffee Farm in Kenya travelling there to ensure the supplier received a fair wage.

He said: "It's an incredible honour to achieve the Acorn Award and I am immensely proud to win such an accolade alongside like-minded energetic stars of the industry."

Other recipients include Marco Pierre White, Marcus Wareing and Lee Bye from Tuddenham Mill.