News

We are delighted to share that our Executive Development Chef Team all received award’s at this year’s International Salon Culinaire competition.

This annual event allows chefs at the top of their profession to demonstrate their skills in front of top industry experts.

Chris Ince, Chef Director, said: “We were thrilled to see all of the Executive Chefs recognised at the prestigious Salon Culinaire competition. They all demonstrated the skill and passion we have come to expect from them, so it was wonderful to see it recognised by the country’s top chefs.

“Matt Vernon, Dan Farrand, Matthew Chapman and Dan Kirkpatrick are excellent chefs and I’m proud to lead such an inspiring team.”

The team won eight awards in total, including a Bronze award each for the Mystery Basket Grand Prix.

The event was held on the 20^th to 22^nd March at the ExCeL London and included several competitions for budding chefs as well as seasoned professionals.

Awards:

Tilda Chef Team of the Year 2023

• Dan Kirkpatrick & Matthew Chapman Angel Hill Food Co Each chef received a Merit

Dishes:

• LE ON DE FUEGO, Spanish ‘Nduja Lions Mane Croquettes, Toasted Rice, Tomato & Smoked Almond Romesco Sauce, Black Garlic Aioli – Membrillo Gel – Herb Oil
• LA TOMATINA TRATAR Brown Butter Marshmallow Timballo Sandwich, Tomato Vanilla Jam, Almond & Sherry Cream, Tom & Jerez Cocktail

HYGIENE AWARD Sponsored by Cleenol (working practices)

• Dan Kirkpatrick, Matthew Chapman Each chef received the award

Mystery Basket Grand Prix

• Matthew Chapman and Dan Kirkpatrick Angel Hill Food Co  Each chef received a Bronze Award

Dish: Sri Lankan Monkfish Kiev, Potato Air bag, Romanesco Puree, Rhubarb & Green Herb Chutney and a Rhubarb Crumble Baked Alaska

• Dan Farrand and Matt Vernon Angel Hill Food Co – Each chef received a Bronze Award

Dish:  Dessert – Chocolate mousse, blood orange gel and confit, spiced shortbread biscuit

The controversy around pasta… and other carbohydrates

World Pasta Day on 25th October gives us an opportunity to celebrate all things pasta; but in the last few years we have seen an increase in people dropping it from their diets. The low-carb diet has gained in popularity and there are people celebrating the benefits, while others caution us about changing our diets to avoid carbohydrates – so we asked our Company Nutritionist, Louise Goodall, to explain whether we should be keeping it on our plates.

Starchy carbohydrates, such as pasta, are an important source of nutrients in our diet. Put simply, they are long chains of sugar compounds which our bodies use as fuel.

Each gram of carbohydrate provides us with just under 4 calories, with fat and protein providing 9kcal/g and 4kcal/g respectively. Carbohydrates can provide us with many nutrients including fibre, B vitamins, iron, calcium and folate (a type of B vitamin).

Some people cut out or reduce the level of starchy carbohydrates in their diet, believing this to be a golden ticket to improved health and/or weight loss. It’s important to note that cutting out any food group from your diet can be risky business due to the potential of subsequent nutrient deficiencies.

Unhelpfully, there are varied opinions amongst health professionals and scientists as to whether reducing the level of carbohydrate in your diet is a good thing or not. There is also an abundance of anecdotal evidence from those describing how eating less carbohydrates helped them to achieve a healthy weight.

The government promotes the Eatwell Guide as a pictorial description of what a healthy balanced diet looks like. The guide shows that around a third of our total daily food intake should be from starchy carbohydrates. So, who’s right? It’s not a simple question to answer.

What we do know is that fibre, B vitamins, iron, calcium and folate are all beneficial to us and as mentioned above, are all found in starchy carbohydrates. Fibre is great for supporting normal bowel function and research shows that diets high in fibre can reduce your risk of bowel cancer. It is recommended that adults eat 30g of fibre a day but unfortunately many people aren’t reaching this recommendation.

When we look at the effects on weight loss, initially a low-carb diet will appear to be more effective than a low-fat diet. This is because our body will start to use up our glycogen (the stored form of glucose in our muscles). Glycogen is stored with water so as our levels of glycogen diminish, we also lose some ‘water weight’. However, in the longer-term, research shows that after around a year there is no difference in weight lost when comparing low-carb and low-fat diets.

For some people, low carb diets are simply not sustainable and can affect gut health and lead to constipation. How much carbohydrate we need is directly related to our energy output which will vary significantly from one person to another, meaning there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach.

Generally, it is a good idea to be aware of the portion sizes we are consuming and choose less refined, wholegrain varieties where possible. The British Dietetic Association (BDA) identify one portion of boiled pasta to be 2-3 tablespoons. Remember every individual is different and will therefore require different portion sizes.

So, this year, I’ll be celebrating World Pasta Day with a delicious, tuna pasta bake – one of my all-time favourites. I use homemade tomato sauce with wholegrain penne and pack it with veg like sweetcorn, onion and pepper.

1. NHS (2018) How to Get More Fibre into Your Diet. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/how-to-get-more-fibre-into-your-diet/ (Accessed 23 October 2020).
2. Saunt, R. and West, H., 2019. Is Butter A Carb? 1st ed. Great Britain: Piatkus, pp.49-68.
3. BDA (n.d.) Carbohydrates. Available at: https://www.bda.uk.com/resource/carbohydrates.html (Accessed 23 October 2020).

By Paris Mudan, CSR Executive

What is Fairtrade?

I am often asked what Fairtrade is, what do they do, and do they really make a difference. Quite simply Fairtrade is making a difference to the lives of the people who grow the things we love by making trade fair.

“Before you finish breakfast in the morning, you’ve depended on more than half the world”
Martin Luther King Jr.

Despite our dependence on farmers and workers for the foods and drinks we use, 10% of the world’s population still live below the poverty line. Over 80% of the world’s poor live in rural areas that rely heavily on farming and agriculture to make a living. Poverty means more than lack of money, poverty means living with hunger, limited access to education, poor healthcare and being unable to provide for one’s family. The cycle of debt, poverty and exploitation created by lack of access to resources and the extreme social inequality is what Fairtrade is trying to overcome.

Fairtrade’s vision is a world in which all producers can enjoy secure and sustainable livelihoods, fulfil their potential and decide on their future. This vision is realized by the social, economic and environmental standards which are set for both the companies and workers who grow our food. For farmers and workers, the standards include protection of workers’ rights and the environment, for companies they include the payment of the Fairtrade Minimum Price and an additional Fairtrade Premium. Over and above the Fairtrade price, the Fairtrade Premium is an additional sum of money which goes into a communal fund for workers and farmers to use – as they see fit – to improve their social, economic and environmental conditions.

Atalian Servest Food Co. and Fairtrade

We share Fairtrade’s vision of a world in which all small producers and workers can enjoy secure and sustainable livelihoods, fulfil their potential and decide their future. We sell over 40 different Fairtrade products throughout our service and generate Fairtrade Premium through our Groundhouse signature coffee brand. Paying the Fairtrade Minimum Price creates a safety net for farmers facing uncertain prices for their produce, this allows them to invest in sustainable farming to ensure their own livelihood and that of future generations. This year we will be continuing our support of Fairtrade and have become certified as a 2020 Fairtrade Workplace of World Changers for our commitment to offering Fairtrade coffee, sugar and tea in the workplace.

Fairtrade Fortnight 2020

Fairtrade Fortnight is an annual event where individuals, groups and companies come together to celebrate the people in developing countries who grow our food and promote Fairtrade products. This year, Fairtrade Fortnight will focus on women in the cocoa and coffee industry, #SHEDESERVES, as well as campaigning for the living income. During Fairtrade Fortnight, Atalian Servest Food Co. will be sharing stories from our Groundhouse Fairtrade coffee producers in Honduras and promote other Fairtrade products offered throughout our service.

If you are interested in learning more about Fairtrade or how you can become involved in Fairtrade Fortnight click here.

We’re fighting Food Waste

Food waste in the UK is shockingly high, with over 30% of the produce grown in the UK or imported into the country each year going to waste. This happens frequently because it does not fit the physical criteria for suppliers and supermarkets – in other words, it’s too ugly!

According to WRAP (2018), 1.1 million tonnes of food waste is generated by the UK Hospitality and Food Service Sector each year, 75% of which could be avoided. These misshapen and discarded fruits and vegetables contribute to the £1 Trillion of global food waste each year.

As a business we are proud to have saved sixty-two thousand kilos of fresh fruits and vegetables from going to waste during the October to December trial. When you consider that the average man in the UK weighs sixty-two kilos, it means we have saved the equivalent weight of one thousand people in just three months … pretty impressive!

Our Executive Development Chef for B&I, Dan Kirkpatrick, gives an insight into the campaign and its effects.

What has your journey been like?

I started my journey five years ago with Academy, before the business was acquired by Atalian Servest. I moved from a Regional Development Chef position with Academy, to Executive Development Chef for Angel Hill in January 2019. Along with fellow Executive Development Chef Dan Farrand, I look after everything food related within the B&I area of our business.

What is it about food wastage that people don’t know but should?

Food waste is a critical issue across the globe which requires immediate action. I think the facts speak for themselves; one-third of the produce grown in the UK each year doesn’t leave the field often because it is deemed as ugly, even though it tastes the same as its more beautiful siblings.

Food waste costs £1 Trillion globally each year and a quarter of the world’s food waste – 900 million tonnes – would end world hunger. The average UK household wastes £700 on food each year. And it’s not just food that gets wasted, a quarter of the worlds water supply each year, is needed to produce the amount of food we currently waste.

How did the ‘Ugly Vegetables’ project start?

While researching and writing Wasteline, our in-house food waste manual, I was stunned by some of the facts and statistics which I stumbled across, and I had to do something about it. How can it be right that there are people dying from hunger, yet we are turning perfectly good produce over in a field because it’s too fat or too long? It’s utter madness!

I decided we should start close to home, and for me that meant supporting local British farmers. We teamed up with our fresh fruit and vegetable supplier to work out a plan of action! Working closely together, we devised a plan to work with local farmers to offer them a fair price for the 40% of their produce which doesn’t even leave the field. We decided upon a trial period for all parties involved and chose twelve seasonal fruits and vegetables for the October – December festive period.

We prevented sites from ordering Class One alternatives and created one hundred recipes using the Ugly Fruit and Vegetable range to help everyone to get involved. During this trial period, Atalian Servest saved sixty-two thousand kilos of fresh fruits and vegetables from going to landfill. I guess you could say that the trial has been a success for all parties!

How has the business benefitted from this?

Initially we received our fair share of criticism for switching to what is effectively a Class Two product. Our fresh fruit and vegetable supplier team joined us at all our Winter Roadshows, showcasing the full range of our twelve selected product lines to our teams. Once everybody had seen the products for themselves, they simply couldn’t believe that these items would even be considered as Class Two. This was an important turning point for us as a business as our colleagues got on board fully with the initiative.

I worked with our in-house Marketing and Design team to create customer facing posters to be displayed across the catering division with hard-hitting facts about global food waste. We especially highlighted how unnecessary it is to waste perfectly edible produce. Our customers started to understand why we had acted, and the buy-in has been nothing short of fantastic!

Our business and our customers have benefited massively from the Ugly Veg initiative, as we have all been involved in simply “doing the right thing”. There is an upwards trend in people changing their lifestyles to benefit the environment, and our campaign helps our customers make better choices that have a positive impact on the planet.

Atalian Servest should be proud that collectively we have saved the same weight as 2,186,988 bananas from going to landfill, in just three months. We are now looking at ways of how best to communicate these savings across our business, and to continue the initiative.

What impact do you think the sites have had?

Our sites have been the real superstars throughout this whole process, as without their commitment we simply wouldn’t have been able to get this off the ground and make such a difference. From using one of our one hundred Ugly Veg recipes, to creating their own fantastic dishes, our teams have really got on board with all things Ugly. Our onsite teams should be celebrated for showing our customers that Ugly means tasty!

How important is it to raise awareness?

I believe that food waste is an incredibly important topic and I am proud that the business also thinks so. From workshops to roadshows and presentations, it has been heart-warming to see people’s reactions to the changes we are making. When our customers hear facts such as twenty-one million slices of bread are thrown away across the UK every single day, it’s very hard hitting and like us they feel compelled to do something about it. Raising awareness means a real difference has been made.

What’s next?

I am currently working with our key fresh fruit and vegetable supplier to increase the Ugly range and we are looking to introduce new seasonal lines for this year. We are working hard towards our aim of having a food waste day every single week across the division. Our as yet untitled daily concept will allow sites to choose from a recipe database using that month’s Ugly produce range. This will include simple soups, bold soups, meat main courses, vegetarian and vegan main courses, desserts and home bakes.

The inaugural Atalian Servest Food Co Chef of the Year competition took place last week, celebrating great chef’s and giving them an opportunity to use their passion, skill and talent whilst showcasing their knowledge of the culinary arts.

Based on sustainability, the event, utilised purely “ugly veg” ingredients from our national fruit and vegetable supplier Oliver Kay. Here at Atalian Servest, we promote the use of “ugly veg” and are actively using it more and more in our kitchens. With worldwide food waste being a massive issue we hope that if we can help doing this small thing, it will set a benchmark for others.

The chefs were given guidelines their culinary masterpieces had to follow, and ingredients needed to be available from our nominated suppliers within the Atalian Servest supply chain.

The first dish was solely based on a street food theme and had to be presented in a street food box. The second dish was also based on a street food idea but had to utilise four ingredients from a list of ten, usually associated with being ‘wasted’ in the kitchen.

The ingredients they had to choose from were:

• Cauliflower leaves and stalks
• Broccoli stalks
• Potato peelings
• Bread crusts
• Tomato ends and hearts
• Pepper tops and tails
• Baked beans

The below six finalists came through tough competition to get the platform to showcase their skills.

• Matt Chapman – Area Support Manager, former Chef Manager at Think Central
• Craig Davies – Chef Manager at Soapworks
• Stuart Rose – Chef Manager at Thackrah Court
• Matt Trotter – Chef Manager at Williamson Court
• Charlotte Meeds – Catering Manager at Primark Islip and Thrapston
• Stephen Branch – Catering Manager at Ocado Apollocourt

Dan Farrand, Executive Development Chef, Business & Catering, commented: “The quality of the competition was very high and a good mix of B&I from high end grab n go outlets to large distribution centre background to two finalists from our Healthcare sector. Everyone was in the running with a fantastic selection of the recipes they submitted, however all five of us judging were unanimous in our decision that Matt Chapman was the clear winner”.

Matt’s winning recipes:

1. Mexican rainbow tacos, beetroot, spinach and corn taco, one filled with grilled chipotle mango, lime chicken and sriracha, one with cocoa, guajillo, cherry Pepsi pulled pork and sour cream and chive, with the last one filled carne asada (marinated skirt steak) topped with a chipotle crema, Pico de Gallo, pink onions, charred corn, avocado, charred lime and micro coriander.
2. Potato peel, baked bean, chorizo and spinach empanada, with broccoli stalk and cauliflower leaf chimichurri

Special thanks must go out to Danny Booth, (National Account Manager) and Oliver Kay for supplying the Fruit and Vegetables as well as supplying the Chefs jackets for the final cookoff. And Unilever’s Sam D. Williams, Steve Wilkes and Paul Wright, for supplying the kitchen and equipment.

Training is at the heart of everything Atalian Servest do, we pride ourselves on our commitment to providing training opportunities across the whole business.

To Celebrate Hospitality Apprenticeship Week, we are excited to put the spotlight on some of our colleagues working within our catering brands, Angel Hill and Academy. There are currently an impressive 46 individuals in our catering division alone who are studying for their apprenticeships, which range from Commis Chef Level 2, to Chartered Manager Degree Level 6.

Louise Goodall, company nutritionist, is currently studying for her Chartered Manager Degree Level 6 apprenticeship through Staffordshire University. After five years with Atalian Servest, Louise was keen to gain a more in-depth understanding of professional management to support with her personal development. She was keen to find a course that was manageable while working full time, so when she found out that Atalian Servest offers degree-level apprenticeships it was an easy decision. The course is structured around a mixture of both online webinars and face to face learning, so the flexibility was perfect for Louise.

Louise commented: “In my six months on the course I’ve learnt so much! I already feel like it has had a positive impact on day to day role. It’s completely flexible and works around me so I never feel overwhelmed and it is very manageable. I feel fortunate to be part of a company that allows me to continue developing my skills and gain new ones. A degree apprenticeship is a fantastic opportunity and I’m delighted I took the challenge on!”

Jordan Winterbottom, former apprentice catering assistant, recently completed his Hospitality Team Member Level 2 Standard. By breaking up the course into different specialist areas, it meant that studying never became boring and the different assessment types meant Jordan was continually pushed to produce the highest level of work.

Many of the areas of study were focused around practical skills, which contain valuable transferable skills such as recognising customer needs with a focus on concierge, reception and general guest services. Other areas of study were more specialised, such as serving alcoholic beverages, barista skills and food preparation.

Throughout his apprenticeship Jordan developed fantastic hospitality skills and knowledge and has gone from strength to strength, continually progressing in his role.

Jordan said: “I would recommend doing an apprenticeship through Atalian Servest, their passion and commitment in pushing people to achieve their best is what initially attracted me to the company. The apprenticeship has allowed me to gain job experience, knowledge and expertise, all while working alongside exceptional people”

Building upon the comments from both Louise and Jordan, Dawn Whitworth, People Development Manager said: “Apprenticeships are such an excellent opportunity, Louise and Jordan are both excellent cases of how successful our apprenticeship programmes are and we are excited to see how they develop further in the future”.

Be the first to find out about all our career opportunities here.

If you are you already an Atalian Servest employee, find out more information here and talk to your manager about all the apprenticeships programmes we offer

“Human beings are sea creatures, dependent on the oceans just as much as whales, herring or coral reefs” (Sylvia Earle)

This week Angel Hill Food is celebrating National Marine Week, an initiative run by The Wildlife Trusts from the 27th July to the 11th August. Although the initiative is for 2 weeks a year, Angel Hill’s commitment to sourcing sustainable fish is a lifetime promise. This commitment starts by only serving fish from the ‘Fish to Eat’ list from Marine Conservation Society.

The MSC Fish to Eat List

Angel Hill is proud to feature on MSC’s wall of fame, certifying that they use their seafood ratings to make sustainable and thoughtful buying decisions. MSC has also compiled a ‘Fish to Eat’ list, which is comprised of fish from well-managed, sustainable stocks or farms. Similarly, they created a ‘Fish to Avoid’ list, which is made up of fish that are often overfished, vulnerable or from badly managed fisheries.

Choosing fish which feature on the ‘Fish to Eat’ list is a great start but in general, we are too reliant on the ‘Big 5’ (Cod, Haddock, Tuna, Salmon and Prawns). Great examples of alternatives include Coley instead or Cod/Haddock and Rainbow Trout instead of Salmon.

Although intentions may be good, it is often a confusing battle to ensure we purchase sustainable fish, but if you are ever in doubt look for the MSC logo. Any fish with the logo has been certified to the MSC fisheries standard, a science-based set of requirements to ensure sustainability.

Have you thought of going plant-based?

Are you prepared to go one step further from choosing sustainable fish and meat options by implementing a plant-based diet? According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), livestock is one of the top two or three most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems. So even if it’s just adopting a plant-based diet for one day a week, it can make a big difference to the planet we all must live on.

There is even a not-for-profit campaign named ‘Meat Free Monday’ (MFM), which aims to raise awareness of the detrimental environmental impact of animal agriculture and industrial fishing. Their website, which you can find here is full of wonderful plant-based recipes to inspire you. A host of A-list celebrities have already endorsed MFM, including Ringo Starr, Tom Hanks, David Walliams and Joanna Lumley. So, what’s stopping you?

What steps are you going to take to make more sustainable choices? Find us on Twitter to let us know.

We’re delighted to be opening up our new Angel Hill restaurants across the country in September.

If you’re one of the lucky ones enjoying the new food and are searching for our 10% discount, then search no more!

Mention the code “Welcome10” to our team at the till and you’ll receive 10% off

(when spending over £4.00 in the restaurant, between 3rd-7th September, in our newly launched locations)

While you’re here, don’t forget to check us out on Twitter and we hope to see you in our restaurants soon!

Once again, we were delighted to support this year’s ACE Charity Dinner at the Langham Hotel in London. The dinner managed to raise nearly £10,000 in support of some really good causes. The Angel Hill team helped kick things off in style with a fantastic array of canapés.

For this post, we decided to let the photos do the talking – so have a click through the images of the evening (just don’t do it on an empty stomach!)

The fantastic team behind the event were drawn from our Culinary Classroom sessions and the chefs had a great surprise while leaving when Michel Roux Jr. complemented them on all their efforts – great work guys!

The Culinary Classroom guys are a fearless bunch, and they needed to be in January when they had to brave a very chilly Scotland in search of some of the best game Britain has to offer.

This session was the organised and arranged by John Fleming, Development Chef for Scotland, as he wanted to share his knowledge and enthusiasm for game with everyone. John grew up in Scotland on the game estates, he often helped raise the birds and so was involved in the whole cycle. It was exactly this experience that helps drive his respect for the ingredients we cook with – and something he wanted the Culinary Classroom chefs to experience first hand.

As always, it was a bright and early (dark and cold!) start to the day in Scotland, with the group arriving early in the morning. Luckily, as always, John was well prepared with a much needed supply of piping hot Groundhouse coffee. The group was split up into two for the first drive, one off with the beaters and the other with the guns. So it was time to scramble into the back of a trailer or to put those boots to good use (and find out how warm they really are..).

What followed was a crash course in Scottish game; from the way the birds are reared, to the training of the dogs, the history of the estate and through to traditional cooking methods and modern attitudes towards it. One of the reasons we set up the Culinary Classroom is to bring craft skill back to the forefront of cooking – something that was on the wane. Sadly, the same is true of game and the skills needed are slowly being lost.

It was great to get the chefs out into this environment, as there was a real mix of experience within the group. We believe it’s vitally important for our chefs to understand where their ingredients have come from, and the love and dedication that’s gone into producing them, way before they make their way into our restaurants and on to our plates. It was a real eye-opener for some, while others had grown up on similar estates and were keen to share their knowledge.

It was time to say goodbye to the staggeringly beautiful Scottish countryside and get the team back into their natural habitat of the kitchen. So we bid our farewells and went back to one of our nearby units to do what we do best.

It really was a fascinating day, and something that is very much removed from our day-to-day roles. It’s so important for our teams to be able to step outside of their comfort zone (literally!) and to seek inspiration and knowledge from less well trodden paths. We can’t wait to see what they come up with next..

The 14th of November is an especially poignant date for the city of Coventry – it was on this night in 1940 that a massive Nazi bombing raid begun, causing huge devastation to the city and its residents.

This date is especially important for the history curriculum of schools in the area, with many of them putting on special lessons, theme days and projects so that the pupils can understand the importance of the date and to learn the cultural significance of it.

The war years were a time of great hardship, not only for the obvious reasons, but also in terms of diet and availability of food – with Britain under a constant naval blockade, the ability to import food was severely restricted. The Catering Academy team in the Midlands realised the role that food could play in bringing these events to life, and so put on a special day to help support the history lesson plans at a Coventry Primary School.

The display included foods that would’ve been available during the war, wartime posters encouraging people to produce their own food and also period uniforms – to turn the dining hall into a live display from the 1940s.

Another aspect of the display was a typical ration pack from the era. It’s easy for us to read about rations, but to see the small amount of food that people lived on really drives home the impact that the food restrictions must’ve had on day-to-day life.

Throughout the day, the pupils of the school came to the display with their teachers – bringing the food out from the textbook and into real life.

That day, the team also put on a themed lunch and dressed in period clothing. It was a hugely successful day, with the Head commending them on their efforts and the impact it had on the children.

We were delighted to be able to support the school’s curriculum in this way and will continue to work in partnership with our contracts up and down the country.

We’re delighted to be able to say that we’re the first food service business to partner with the exciting food waste app, Olio. After successfully completing a trial at one of our busy sites in Cambridge, we’re really looking forward to working closer with them and helping tackle the growing food waste issue.

Together we managed to save 1,525 items of food going to waste, which equates to 678 meals. We’re absolutely delighted that by partnering with Olio and working closely with our client, we were able to make such a positive impact on the local community. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg!

What is Olio?

Olio is a free app that connects neighbours with each other and with local shops and cafes so that surplus food can be shared, not thrown away. Users of the app simply snap a picture of their items and add them to OLIO.

Why?

The social, economic and environmental case for action against food waste is compelling. Levels of food and drink waste by commercial and industrial businesses in the food sector amount to around 2.8 million tonnes, with a value of over £4.3 billion (source: WRAP). Food waste is also costly for local stores and governments, and ranks as one of the world’s largest emitters of greenhouse gases. OLIO seeks to address these problems by combining mobile technology with the power of the sharing economy and an engaged local community.

How?

With the help of our on-site team, and Olio’s network of Food Waste Hero volunteers, we are able to donate unsold food to the local community. This ensures that the food we produce goes to feed people, rather than be fed to animals or sent to land fill. In addition to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, helping the local community and simply being the right thing to do.

Learn more about Olio here, by downloading the app on your mobile or tablet device or by checking out their Twitter page @Olio_ex

The latest Culinary Classroom session was kindly hosted by our fresh produce supplier, Fresh Direct, at their wonderful facility in Bicester. The chefs travelled from far and wide and were treated to a fantastic day hosted by Head of Food Development, Duncan Parsonage, and Senior National Account Manager, Gemma Mortimer.To kick things off, Gemma gave the chefs an overview of Fresh Direct, their sourcing model and crop reports. This was then followed up by an interesting talk on the science of quality control, where they found out all about brix tests (a scientific method to determine how sweet produce is) and the processes behind their QC.

The chefs were then split into two groups; one going on a tour of the facility and the other having a session with Duncan. The facility was very impressive, with a clear emphasis on quality produce. Duncan’s session revolved around lesser-known and high quality produce; with an emphasis on how the products could be used within our business. At this point, it was time for some lunch, with a delicious rustic meal of pasta, slaw and home-baked bread.

After lunch, Duncan expanded on his previous session by sharing some dishes and tips on how they could be implemented alongside our current offer. The crumbed exotic mushrooms went down a storm, as did a delicious risotto and a North African-style hummus.With the chefs suitably informed and inspired, it was on to the afternoon practical session and a bit of competition (not that chefs are a competitive bunch..). Two teams were formed, given a range of produce and asked to create a vegetarian dish. It was a race against the clock, as they had only 20 minutes to prepare, cook and clean down. The judging team of Chris, Rhys, Matt and Duncan then had the tricky task of deciding on the winning dish.The first team served up with a cauliflower and parmesan fritter served on a carpaccio of courgette and beetroot, with the second cooking up Mediterranean cauliflower, asparagus and parmesan crisp. The judging team agreed that the fritter was the winning dish, but both teams were commended on the presentation and execution of their dishes.All that was left was to say goodbye and hop on the train, plane or in the car for the journey home. It really was an excellent day, full of inspiration and its always great for the chefs to get together from all corners of the country and talk shop. We can’t wait for the next session!

We were delighted to support ACE (Association of Catering Excellence) by supplying the canapés for their Wine Dinner in support of the Wiggly Worm charity. The event marked the 80th anniversary of the group’s founding and was held at The Langham in London. Michel Roux Jr. and Adam Handling added some culinary star power to the event and so it was great to showcase our chefs at such a prestigious event.The invitation to do the canapés for the reception came as a result of the impression we made at the FSM Awards a few months prior, which was fantastic. Vic Laws MBE, Administrator of ACE, approached us to see if we’d help support ACE with their dinner and we were more than happy to do so. Chris and the team soon set about designing the menu, knowing that our dedication to quality food with meaningful provenance served by knowledgeable chefs would hold us in good stead for the event. After some careful thought and consideration, this is what they decided on:

• Mi-cuit river trout, sauce vierge
• Tuna and black pepper, petit ratatouille, caper and tarragon
• Gilt head bream cerviche, lemons, lime and chilli
• Tartare of Shropshire beef, potato crisp, quail egg
• Potted Suffolk ham, sauce gribiche
• Bresaola, parmesan and rocket
• Spinach, pinenuts and feta, crispy filo pastry
• Watermelon cup, goat’s cheese, black olives and mint

We were lucky that The Langham is situated just across the road from one of our central London sites, so the team arrived early in the morning and prepared the food for the day in the kitchen there. It was then a case of packing everything up in special refrigerated containers and wheeling it across the road, where it was all put together on site.

Below are a couple of candid videos of  Matt and Tony walking us through the preparation behind the Beef Tartare and Potted Ham canapés.

Once the chefs had prepared everything, it was time to set up, plate up and serve the guests. Because we have truly awesome people at Angel Hill, we decided to do a live preparation station, allowing the guests to see our chefs creating the canapés and to chat about the food, where its from and how it was prepared. In addition to the live station, our chefs walked the room with plated canapés, and they really enjoyed engaging with the guests and talking them through the dishes.It was a fantastic evening for all involved and the feedback we had from the event was excellent. We’ll leave it up to Vic Laws MBE, ACE Administrator, to have the final word:

“I first experienced Angel Hill Food Co. at the FSM Awards and we were all very impressed.  I approached Chris Ince, their Chef Director, to see if they would support ACE at their Wine Dinner at The Langham Hotel. Where we were raising money for Wiggly Worm, their chosen charity. Chris, without hesitation, offered their support.

The canapés served were exceptionally good and the chef’s display attracted a lot of attention.  They truly contributed to an evening that raised over £16000 for our charity.  Thanks guys!”

We are proud to support SIFA Fireside’s annual Christmas lunch for their clients, and we have done so for many years.

SIFA Fireside is the result of the merger of two charities; Supporting Independance From Alcohol and the Fireside Charity. They are based in the Digbeth area of Birmingham and have around 100 staff and volunteers. They work with those who are homeless, affected by alcohol or otherwise socially excluded to improve their physical, social and mental well-being.

SIFA Fireside aim to empower people to meet their short and long term goals. They do this through practical support, including daily drop-ins, a resettlement service, a specialist alcohol support service, well-being and activity groups and an employment and training programme.

In order to help support SIFA Fireside, we donate a Christmas lunch for their clients – so we supply a full kitchen and front-of-house team, all the equipment and, of course, a full three course lunch. Those of us who have been lucky enough to participate in the event always look forward to it, as it really is amazing to be able to give back to the community and help spread some festive cheer.

Regional Operations Director, Martyn Stockwin, commented, “I’ve been involved in this event since we partnered with SIFA Fireside, and I really look forward to it every year. I’ve got to know their team over the years, and it’s great to be able to support the fantastic work they do”.

The team arrived early on the morning of Wednesday 14th December, ready to cook and serve dinner for over 100 of SIFA Fireside’s clients. Chef Director, Chris Ince, was creating the magic in the kitchen with Martyn leading the front of house. On offer was a prawn cocktail or Polish sausage salad for starter, a full Christmas dinner for the main and a traditional Christmas pudding with custard for dessert. It was a busy service, but with everyone working like clockwork, it went really smoothly and we were delighted with the feedback we got from SIFA Fireside’s clients.

Ewen Kinnear, Chair of the Trustees at SIFA Fireside, commented on the day:

“We’re delighted with what you’re doing. I’ve been involved for about five years, and every year it just gets better and better. Our clients see this as one of the biggest occasions of the year, not only do they enjoy the food but they get the feeling of importance. Your level of professionalism is first class, but it’s also the fact that you care and you’ve stuck with us for all this time, giving us so much support – it’s absolutely brilliant. We couldn’t ask for more.”

All that’s left is to wish everyone a very merry Christmas from all of our team!

Servest, a leading multi-service facilities management provider, has acquired Catering Academy Ltd in a strategic move to grow the Group’s catering division.

Catering Academy is an independent catering company that has built a reputation for bringing innovative solutions to a wide range of catering and ancillary services. Formed in 2004 by Louise Wymer and Kevin Cannon, the company operates nationally and works with a significant number of clients in the business and industry, education and healthcare sectors.

The acquisition will enable Servest Food Company to expand and develop its presence in the education and healthcare sectors. Servest initially approached Catering Academy in 2015, believing the dynamic catering company would be a good cultural fit. Both parties share aligned values, such as passion for excellent service and the belief in human partnerships to create mutual success. Cannon, Wymer and the senior management team will remain in place to facilitate a smooth transition into the group and to continue to grow the business by utilising their knowledge and expertise.

Servest Food Co’s vision is to continue to grow a number of brands that have real expertise and passion in specific sectors of the foodservice market. Wymer, Cannon and the rest of the Catering Academy team will utilise their passion and experience to drive the business forward into the education and care market sectors.

Louise Wymer, Co-Founder and Director of Catering Academy said: “We are excited to join forces with such an illustrious organisation in order to continue providing excellent service to our strong client base. The senior team at Catering Academy are thrilled to be a part of the exciting future at Servest.”

Servest has built a reputation for its acquisitive nature, and many of the senior team members from the businesses the company has bought are still in the driving seat of the business. Growing the divisions to new levels with the support of the wider group behind them. It is this entrepreneurial spirit that sets Servest a part and is a key factor in the culture of development within the group.

Rob Legge, Group Chief Executive Officer UK and Europe at Servest, said: “The acquisition of Catering Academy forms a part of Servest’s growth strategy and will help develop our already successful catering division. This decision demonstrates our commitment to boosting the Group’s footprint in the education and healthcare sectors and will enable us to offer additional expertise to our clients. I look forward to working with Catering Academy’s senior management team on assimilating the business into the Group.”

Servest Group acquires Accuro Catering

11th January 2016

Facilities management service provider Servest has further expanded its catering division with January’s acquisition of Accuro Catering, part of the Accuro FM Group.

Servest has identified the national contract catering company as being a good strategic fit for the expansion of the business. Accuro Catering works with an array of education, hospitals and healthcare clients and this recent acquisition will give Servest Group an increased presence in these key sectors.

Named as one of the UK’s top five fastest growing foodservice companies by the AlixPartners Report 2015, Servest Catering has secured many blue chip contracts and business wins in a short period of time and this most recent acquisition will assist its continued growth in key sectors.

Rob Legge, Group Chief Executive Officer UK and Europe at Servest said: “The acquisition of Accuro Catering enables us to offer additional catering services and expertise to clients. We welcome a very professional and experienced Accuro Catering operations team to Servest and look to support them in providing even greater standards of innovation in food and service to our new clients and customers.”

Nigel Prothero, Chief Executive of Accuro Support Services Group, worked closely with the Servest team throughout the acquisition process. “Having taken the decision to divest of our food service division to focus on our core cleaning and facilities management services, we were then keen that we partnered with the right company,” commented Prothero. “Servest stood out as a service provider that values its staff highly and invests in their wellbeing, which can only enhance the service provided to clients.”

Servest’s Rhys Richardson named Blue Arrow chef of the year 2015

18th November 2015

After a thrilling final, Rhys Richardson, Development Chef for Servest Catering, has been awarded the coveted title of Blue Arrow Chef of the Year 2015.

The competition was open to all ambitious and promising culinary professionals, offering a chance to showcase their talent to industry experts. With over thirty applicants this year, the competition was tough. The four competitors had previously battled through the challenging semi-finals held in London and Edinburgh to win a sought-after place in the final.

Cooking alongside Richardson were; Michal Wlodarczyk from The King’s Head House in Eastington, Gloucestershire, and BaxterStorey’s Jonathan Taylor and Rian Devaney.

The contestants had just three hours to cook a four-course meal, consisting of their signature dishes, under the watchful eye of an expert panel of judges. There was even an extra challenge in the form of the fish course, for which all four contestants had to prepare a dish using set ingredients, including hand-dived scallops..

The judging panel comprised of; Richard Skinner, Executive Chef for Artizian Catering (and Blue Arrow’s first Chef of the Year 2013), Sudha Saha, Executive Head Chef at the Saffron Group, and Mark Sargeant, renowned Michelin Star chef. They were tasked with judging the originality, skill and flavour combinations, as well as the visual presentation, use of seasonal ingredients and the complexity of each dish.

Servest’s Development Chef Richardson was unanimously declared the winner; his food was described as ‘absolutely delicious’ and the presentation of his dishes received especially high praise. Richardson’s fish course was the standout dish on his menu, being highly acclaimed for its innovative combination of flavours and mouth-watering presentation.

Richardson commented, “I’m over the moon! A lot of hard work and planning has gone in to creating my dishes and I’m chuffed that each dish looked and tasted the way I wanted. I couldn’t have done much more, so I’m elated with the feedback the judges gave me. I couldn’t have asked for better praise.”

In addition to being named Blue Arrow Chef of the Year, Richardson was awarded a personalised chef’s jacket and luxury 5-Star gourmet weekend break to Rome with £1500 spending money.

The winning menu:

Starter – Venison tartare, crispy quail’s egg, smoked emulsion and beetroot

Fish – Duo of hand-dived scallops, Granny Smith apple, hazelnut crème fraîche, chorizo oil and pea shoots

Main – Pan seared partridge, horseradish mash, black cabbage, date purée and pomegranate reduction

Dessert – Clementine cheesecake, gingerbread and pickled cranberries

Toni Richards from Blue Arrow said: “Now in its third year, this competition aims to celebrate the skill of chefs from across the UK. It was amazing to see such talent at work. We would like to thank all those who entered, and the support we received from our judges and clients has been phenomenal. A huge congratulations from everyone at Blue Arrow to Rhys and Servest on this fantastic achievement.”

Medals for Servest chefs at Salon Culinaire

11th February 2015

Three Servest chefs competing at the world-class culinary competition Salon Culinaire have won medals for their outstanding dishes.

Servest’s Matt Vernon, Rhys Richardson, and Nathan Rees competed against other top chefs in their respective categories at the event at the Hospitality Show 2015 at Birmingham’s NEC from 19-21st January.

Vernon ranked second out of eight competitors and was awarded a silver medal for his dishes in the gluten free two-course meal category.

“I’m over the moon with my result,” said Vernon, who put in many hours of practice and has improved upon the bronze medal he won at last year’s competition. “It’s the best I’ve done it, since practicing. I’m very proud.”

Richardson, who took part in the Gifre Tableware challenge, ranked second in his class and received a bronze medal, in his first chef’s competition outside of university.

And Rees, taking part in his first ever chef’s competition, was awarded a bronze for the street food challenge.

Servest’s chef director Chris Ince is exceptionally proud of all three chefs. “I’m really proud of our results and the effort and commitment shown by the participants who have been working out of hours to practice and perfect their dishes. It’s always great to attend these events and put ourselves shoulder to shoulder with the leading chefs in the business and in the industry. It really highlights the skills we hold and showcases our abilities.”

Ince added: “The amount of support and encouragement from around the business has been a true testament to the people within our business and stands us in great stead for the future.”

About Servest’s chef competitors

Matt Vernon has worked for Servest for three years and is based at Bosch in Worcester. Matt took part in the Gluten Free Two Course Meal competition, preparing braised wild turbot with seared scallops, pancetta and sweetcorn chowder with pea shoots for a starter. This was followed by a roasted rump of English veal with potato fondant, sweet breads and honey roasted carrots and charred leeks with a celeriac puree and madeira and morel mushroom sauce for a main.

Rhys Richardson has worked for Servest for 10 months. Rhys took part in the Gifre Tableware challenge, which involved styling around the plate and having 30 minutes to prepare and serve the dish. Rhys prepared pan-fried duck breast with braised chicory, flowering sprouts and date puree, served with Jerusalem artichoke chips and a citrus reduction.

Nathan Rees, who has worked for Servest for one year, took part in the street food challenge. This involved preparing and serving two portions of food in 45 minutes and at a total cost of £5. Nathan prepared Vietnamese stuffed squid with pork, sticky rice and papaya salad. He said: “I wanted to create a unique dish that hopefully no-one else would do. I really enjoyed the experience. It’s something I want to do more of in the future.”