Gecko Hospitality presents the Auguste Escoffier Scholarship for Culinary Excellence
OPEN FOR APPLICATION
Closes at midnight on Tuesday 20th May 2025
We are delighted to announce this new scholarship experience for chefs working in Scotland. This scholarship provides a unique opportunity for Scotland’s culinary professionals to elevate their careers through immersive learning and professional development.
Thank you to Gecko Hospitality for funding the travel and accommodation, and to the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts (AESCA) for access to the programme. As with all our HIT Scotland scholarships, this learning experience is fully funded so shouldn’t cost you anything.
Before applying, make sure you have read the application guidance document (here). Please take note of what we ask you below to “tell us” in your application.
You must have the approval of a senior manager to apply, so the Executive Chef, Head Chef, General Manager, Operations Manager, or HR Manager level. This is to ensure that they feel this is suitable for you, and that the business is willing to give you the time to take part in this scholarship.
All scholarship content specifics are subject to change. Any changes will be in keeping with the feel of the original scholarship idea.
The Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts
The Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts is a premier culinary institution named after the legendary French chef Auguste Escoffier, who revolutionised modern French cuisine. The school is known for its hands-on training, industry focused curriculum, and commitment to sustainability.
Their mission is to cultivate passion and lifetime careers in food, hospitality and health by offering affordable, accessible and socially minded education and opportunities to learn.
They have a variety of programme areas including culinary arts, pastry arts, hollistic wellness and nutrition, food entrepreneurship, hospitality and restaurant operations, and plant based culinary arts.
Gecko Hospitality
Gecko Hospitality Management Recruitment agency specializes in hotel & restaurant management recruiting. For over 25 years, Gecko Hospitality has been the industry leader. Finding the correct candidate is the most important thing we do. Committed candidates - the professionals we recommend are loyal to Gecko for good reasons: we treat them well, provide them the support they need to succeed, and show them the respect they deserve. International network - we work as a team to ensure every one of our offices finds and places only the best professionals from our global database of top-tier candidates. True partnership - to help clients achieve their desired success, our franchise partners go the extra mile to learn about the client’s business, culture, and the qualifications needed to find the best match available.
Gecko Hospitality presents the Auguste Escoffier Scholarship for Culinary Excellence
What: This scholarship provides a unique opportunity for Scotland’s culinary professionals to elevate their careers through immersive learning and professional development.
What will you learn: Scholarship recipients will enjoy an immersive, hands-on culinary adventure at Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts in Boulder, Colorado. During their time on campus, participants will train alongside Escoffier chef instructors in both the culinary arts and baking & pastry techniques. Kitchen lab experiences will cover foundational skills like knife work, soups and stocks, pastry techniques, laminated doughs, chocolate artistry, and plating. Whether a beginner or a more seasoned cook, the learning will be thoughtfully adapted to meet each recipient’s experience level.
A highlight of the week is the Farm-to-Table experience, featuring a guided farm tour with hands-on harvesting, sustainability discussions, open-fire cooking, preservation techniques, and a collaborative, farm-fresh lunch. Participants will also dive into wood-fired and rustic cooking methods, explore butchery basics, and participate in a whole-animal utilization workshop.
Beyond the kitchen, recipients will have the opportunity to explore Boulder’s vibrant food scene and share in a series of celebratory meals—rounding out a rich and unforgettable culinary experience.
In addition to their time on campus, scholarship recipients will also receive access to Escoffier Global’s online learning platform, ESource, for the duration of their 12-month brand ambassadorship. They are invited to take any self-directed courses within the system and utilize the extensive video learning library. As they complete courses and QuickCourses on culinary, baking, plant-based cooking, and holistic wellness essentials, learners will earn badges that mark their growing expertise in today’s commercial kitchen standards.
Who is this suitable for / criteria: Any chef working in Scotland, who has a minimum of 3 years working full time in a professional kitchen. You must have foundational culinary skills and a strong motivation for professional growth. Ideal candidates will be those early in their careers, looking to enhance their skills and industry connections.
Where: This takes place at the AESCA at their Boulder campus, Colorado. Boulder is a city at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, in northern Colorado, USA. We will organise local accommodation in Boulder. Travel will likely be flights from Scotland to Denver (with a connecting flight as there are no direct flights). All travel and accomodation is taken care of for you, with food expenses.
How Long: This programme is 5 consecutive days at the AESCA, plus time is required either side for travelling. The programme runs Monday through Friday, with four days dedicated to learning and one day for Boulder area exploration.
When: The on campus learning will be 5 days from Monday 8th to Friday 12th September 2025. These dates are set and cannot be changed, so only apply if you can take part on these dates. Please ensure you are also available for a few days either side of this for travelling.
Structure: This is a hands on learning experience for chefs. There will be hands on kitchen lab learning, a farm to table component, and exposure to specific culinary techniques depending on the final programme. Some of the elements take place off campus, and some are on campus. This will be a mix of full and half day sessions. You will be joining a group of chefs for each session, numbers depending on enrollments. This learning experience is a mix of structured learning, exploration, and shared experiences.
Number of scholarships: 2 chefs (who will do the same programme at the same time).
To honour the dedication of all applicants, individuals who apply but are not selected for the immersive campus experience will still receive 12 months of complimentary access to ESource. This digital learning opportunity allows every applicant to grow their culinary skills, explore their passions, and continue their journey in the kitchen—no matter where they are.
Expected of you in return: You will be an Escoffier Ambassador! You will be expected to provide some feedback about your experience, answering questions about what you have learned and how useful it will be for your professional career, to be used as a testimonial. You will need to take some photos during the experiences (as allowed) so that we can use those and your feedback for a feature across both the Escoffier and HIT Scotland social/media channels. More information will be provided.
Application questions:
Why do you want to do this scholarship? Why should you be awarded it?
What are you looking to learn from the scholarship? Your learning objectives. Give up to 5 points.
What are your future plans and hopes as a chef?
What is the latest culinary learning that you have undertaken? Tell us about it.
If you could choose 2, which of the following areas would you like to learn more about, and why? Choose from: Culinary Essentials, Butchery, Plant-Based Cooking, Pastry, or Traditional French Pastry.
CV: We will also ask everyone to send an up-to-date CV to us, please send to our Scholarship Manager alyson@hitscotland.co.uk after you have submitted your application.
Passport: You must have a valid passport to apply for this scholarship (must be for 6 months after you return so expires after 17 March 2026).