Rising stars

Naina Lamptey, who works at Dunraven Primary School in Streatham, London, received the Rising Star accolade at the Accent People Awards 2025 earlier this year. The awards programme rewards and celebrates people from all levels of the business for their outstanding contribution over the previous12 months.

What is your current role and what does it entail?
I oversee the kitchen, including managing the team and maintaining the inventory, food standards and quality, as well as undertaking team training, controlling costs and enforcing food safety. My key responsibilities include preparing and cooking meals for up to 400 pupils, ordering supplies, supervising kitchen staff and ensuring the kitchen environment is clean, efficient and compliant with health and safety standards.  

What made you want to work in hospitality?
From secondary school I always knew hospitality was the career for me, as I have always enjoyed cooking. I realised early in life that a career in hospitality would allow me to have a positive – and tasty! – impact on the lives of many, especially as I enjoy putting smiles on people’s faces. Another reason is that it presents me with a work atmosphere that is both enjoyable and dynamic, while also allowing me to independently apply my culinary creativity on a massive scale.

What do you enjoy about your role?
The work is challenging in many ways, but all the challenges are exciting as well as empowering since they help me develop both as a person and a professional. My role also allows me to make a healthy and positive difference to people’s lives. I strongly believe that a well-prepared meal is essential for focus, effectiveness and inner peace. Finally, I enjoy the people I work with and the great atmosphere that come with the role.

How did it feel when you found out you had won the award?
It felt like a dream! I was genuinely overcome by surprise, and I experienced a range of other feelings that kept flooding through me. For example, I felt a sense of pride in the achievement, but also humility and gratitude in the knowledge that someone had deemed me worthy of such an honour when I was merely just doing my job. I also felt encouragement in knowing that this award will hopefully be an inspiration for others.

Why do you think you won?
I know that my colleagues were impressed – and maybe even inspired – by my work, including my application, patience and focus, as well as my creativity and management skills. I also think I won because of the Accent People Awards’ process. Although I don’t know exactly how it works, I am convinced that it was based on fairness and merit. This speaks to the integrity of the entire process, and of the company’s ethos of celebrating and awarding people. Lastly, I think I won because it makes a statement recognising the importance of professionalism and a demonstrably good work ethic.

What do you want to do in the future?
At some point I want to go back to school where I hope to obtain a master’s degree and, if possible, a doctorate. Both qualifications will be in hospitality-related fields. After that, I hope to use my enhanced knowledge and skills to make an even bigger contribution to the industry as a lecturer or research body member.

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