Month: October 2025

For the Love of Food: Celebrating Our Chefs on International Chef’s Day

Posted on by Andrew Leedham

Honouring the Passion, Creativity and Journeys Behind the Food We Serve Every Day

Every October 20th, kitchens across the globe mark International Chef’s Day, an annual celebration of the creativity, passion and dedication that chefs bring to their craft. First established in 2004 by the late Chef Dr. Bill Gallagher to honour the culinary profession and inspire future generations, International Chef’s Day is a global moment to recognise the people behind the plates – the professionals who transform everyday ingredients into memorable meals. 

We believe great food is more than just sustenance – it is connection, culture, and creativity brought to life through skill, curiosity and heart. This year’s International Chef’s Day gave us a chance to reflect on the stories and journeys of our own chefs whose passion fuels everything we do.

Passion That Started at Home

For many chefs, the joy of cooking begins long before formal training or professional accolades. For Chef Daisy Smith, it was family that sparked that flame.

“My love for food all came from my dad,” Daisy recalls. “He had me cooking with him from about three years old. He’s definitely my biggest inspiration and one of the reasons I wanted to get into catering in the first place.” Growing up, Daisy learned more than just recipes – she learned the rhythm of family kitchens, the joy of shared meals, and the creative freedom that comes with trying new flavours.

That early inspiration eventually became Daisy’s career. Today she brings that same warmth and adventurous spirit into her work, creating dishes that are rich in flavour and connection. Her story – from helping in the kitchen as a child to thriving as a professional chef – was shared as part of our TRUE Story series, where she highlighted how Angel Hill Food Co. has supported her growth and nurtured her talent.

Culinary Classroom

Daisy Smith – Chef, Business & Industry

Shannon Talbot-Bennett – Chef, Business & Industry

A Global Palette and Confidence on the Plate

For Shannon Talbot-Bennett, cooking is both a cultural expression and a way of connecting communities. Originally from South Africa, Shannon’s culinary journey began around barbecues with her family – a space where food was both celebration and tradition.

“Food was always part of how we connected,” she says. “Back home it was about outdoor cooking, shared meals and learning different ways of preparing food. Moving to the UK opened up even more opportunities to explore new cuisines and techniques.”

Shannon’s passion and skill have translated into experiences that blend her roots with a modern, global approach to food. Her achievements, including recognition at major food awards, reflect both confidence on the plate and a dedication to continuous culinary growth.

Tradition Meets Innovation

Chef Andre Alto brings a different perspective to the kitchen – one that marries tradition with innovation. For Andre, food was woven into family life from a young age, thanks to a household that valued curiosity at the table and encouraged trying everything placed in front of him.

“My mother and family were my first teachers,” Andre explains. “We were always encouraged to try new things. That curiosity has stayed with me throughout my career.”

Today, Andre channels that same spirit into his role as a Catering Manager, where he has transformed school kitchens into hubs of nutritional excellence and efficiency. His approach balances classic technique with thoughtful innovation, proving that great food can be both familiar and forward-looking.

Andre Alto – Chef, Education

Our Culinary Classroom 2024/2025 cohort

For the Love of Food

We believe that every dish our chefs craft carries meaning. Speaks to culture, memory, aspiration and care. From large-scale plated services to everyday meals in workplace dining spaces, our chefs bring joy and connection to every table they serve.

International Chef’s Day is more than a date on the calendar. It’s a reminder of the passion that shapes the food experience every day of the year. It’s a moment to celebrate those whose creativity elevates what we eat and enriches how we live.

To all the chefs – in our kitchens, in our communities and around the world – Happy International Chef’s Day. Thank you for your dedication, your stories, and the love you bring to food.

How Shannon Talbot Served Up Success at the StrEAT Food Awards 2025

Posted on by Andrew Leedham

Confidence, Culture and Craft Behind an Award Winning Street Food Moment

Winning an industry award is rarely about a single moment on the day. More often, it is the result of confidence built over time, inspiration drawn from personal experiences, and a clear belief in the food on the plate. For Chef Shannon Talbot, success at the StrEAT Food Awards 2025 was exactly that – a reflection of her journey as a chef, her cultural influences, and her thoughtful approach to street-food-inspired cooking.

Held at Big Penny Social in London, the StrEAT Food Awards bring together chefs from across the contract catering and street food sectors to showcase creativity, flavour and technical ability in a live competition environment. In her first year entering the awards, Shannon achieved an exceptional result – taking home StrEAT Food Chef of the Year and securing second place in the Dish of the Year category – a rare double recognition that underlines both skill and consistency.

Yet for Shannon, the experience was about more than trophies.

“I believed in the food I was putting forward, but I never expected to place first and second,” she says. “I went in wanting to challenge myself and prove that my ideas had a place on that stage.”

Cooking With Confidence and Intention

Shannon’s winning dish was a Caribbean-inspired jerk chicken taco, paired with a vibrant pineapple salsa and finished with delicate micro herbs. Inspired by the warmth and energy of Jamaican street food, the dish focused on bold, well-balanced flavours rather than complexity for complexity’s sake.

“I wanted to create something that felt approachable and exciting at the same time,” Shannon explains. “Street food should feel fun, full of flavour and easy to enjoy – not overworked.”

Judges praised the dish for its clarity, execution and confident flavour profile – a reflection of Shannon’s belief that strong ideas don’t need excessive embellishment to stand out.

“Sometimes less really is more,” she adds. “If the flavours are right, you don’t need to overcomplicate things.”

Drawing Inspiration From Heritage and Experience

Food has always been deeply personal for Shannon. Growing up, cooking was central to family life, with her father and brother playing key roles in shaping her relationship with food. Those early experiences continue to influence her cooking today, particularly her willingness to draw from cultural traditions and reinterpret them in modern ways.

Her second dish at the StrEAT Food Awards 2025 paid homage to her South African roots, reimagining the traditional bunny chow in a contemporary street-food format. The dish demonstrated both technical skill and storytelling – two qualities that have become hallmarks of Shannon’s style.

“I like food that has meaning behind it,” she says. “If a dish connects to who you are or where you come from, it naturally carries more confidence.”

Growth Through Challenge

That confidence was built well before the StrEAT Food Awards 2025. The year prior, Shannon was crowned OCS Chef of the Year, an internal competition celebrating culinary excellence, creativity and consistency across the business. The experience proved to be a pivotal moment, giving her the belief to push herself further and test her skills on a national stage.

“Winning OCS Chef of the Year made me realise I could trust my instincts,” Shannon reflects. “It gave me the confidence to take on bigger challenges and believe that my ideas had real value.”

That momentum carried directly into her preparation for the StrEAT Food Awards, where the same self-belief, clarity of flavour and calm approach under pressure helped set her apart from the competition.

Originally trained as a pastry chef, Shannon brings precision, patience and attention to detail into every dish she creates. That technical foundation has shaped her savoury cooking, particularly in fast-paced, high-pressure environments where balance, timing and execution are critical.

More Than an Award

Shannon Talbot’s success at the StrEAT Food Awards 2025 is a powerful example of how confidence, culture and creativity come together on the plate. It’s a reminder that great food doesn’t start with accolades – it starts with belief, intention and a genuine connection to the food being served.

For Shannon, the awards marked not an endpoint, but a moment of affirmation – proof that her voice, her flavour and her approach belong firmly within the evolving world of modern street-food-led catering.