The winners of the Food Service Caterer of the Year award tend to be as varied as the sector of the industry itself, ranging from private-sector chiefs to public-sector heroes. Last year's winner, Bill Toner, represented the heavyweight end of the sector, as chief executive of Aramark.
He was praised by the judges for having put a rocket under his company's competitors, and they praised him for having had an exceptional impact on the catering sector over the first 12 months of his then new role.
Toner's strength was seen as his ability to build business. Although Aramark has a broad spectrum of blue-chip clients and provides a wide range of tailored services, many thought the company was underachieving. The judges reckoned it was Toner's drive that had turned the company around and made it competitive in a relatively short time.
But every winner of this award is different. In 2001, Chris Hind of then-independent contract caterer Nelson Hind (before its takeover by Elior last June) won his Catey for providing high-quality service and efficiency to match its larger rivals. His talent was in being innovative: encouraging chef-managers to set their own menus, do their own purchasing and run their own units as small businesses in their own right.
And another previous winner, Fergus Chambers, reinvented Glasgow's school canteens, turning them into hi-tech, fast-food-style "fuel zones" that boosted take-up from 26% to 65%. Chambers was praised for his forward-thinking nature, his charisma and enthusiasm and his motivational skills. He was also seen as an all-round ambassador for food service, helping to raise its profile and enhance its appeal as a worthwhile career option.
They are all hard acts to follow. But the point is that success can be measured in many ways.
This year's winner will, however, almost certainly be running a successful business, but not necessarily at managing director level. The Food Service Caterer of the Year will have shown a dedication to the industry as a whole, as well as to their own company, whether through commitment to training schemes, playing a part in industry associations or otherwise helping to raise the profile of the food service sector.
Judges' criteria
The Food Service Caterer of the Year Catey will go to a senior executive who has contributed to the food service sector in any of the following areas:
* Business and industry;
* Education; or
* Healthcare and institutional catering.
Both in-house and contract caterers are eligible. The winner will possess the ability to combine innovation with sound financial performance, as well as being able to demonstrate clear achievements over the past 12 months.
This year's winner will be announced at the Catey Awards on Tuesday 1st July.
Previous Winners:
2002 Bill Toner
2001 Charles Boyd
2000 Chris Hind
1999 Fergus Chambers
1998 Tim West
1997 Don Davenport
1996 William Baxter & Robert Platts
1995 Frank Bell
1994 Roger Davis
1993 Jacqui Newton
1992 Avril Robertson
1991 Robbie Brown
1990 Charles Allen
1989 Marc Verstringhe
1988 Arnold Fewell
1987 Brian Watts
1986 Sheila Mitchell
1985 Mary Scott Morgan
1984 Jean Alexander
Sponsored by: P & G Professional
Sponsor message:
Past winners of this prestigious award all have their own particular strengths, but there is a common theme that unites them. Whether in business and industry, education or healthcare and institutional catering, the winner will almost certainly be running a successful business and will show a dedication both to their own company and to the industry as a whole.
P&G Professional, provider of professional laundry, cleaning and resale solutions, is both delighted and proud to be sponsoring the Food Service Caterer of the Year Catey. P&G Professional understands that within hospitality great reputations are built on details, and alongside skills in combining innovation and sound financial performance the overall winner of this category will demonstrate how attention to detail makes them outstanding in their field.
Working closely with its customers, P&G Professional helps to positively enhance the reputation of their establishments. This includes providing superior cleaning solutions, whether products or total cleaning systems; providing the reassurance of well known and respected brands; working to improve the cleaning experience for the staff involved; and building relationships with their customers based on transparency, openness and a two-way exchange of knowledge.
P&G Professional would like to take this opportunity to wish the nominees in this category the very best of luck.
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