The Caterer Blog

I joined the magazine from the industry having worked at the Hyde Park hotel when it was Forte owned and there wasn’t a mandarin in sight. Today I work very closely with Mark Lewis, our esteemed ed, overseeing the magazine’s content.

My main reason for staying at Caterer for so long is simple - I just love this industry and the people in it (well, most of them). I admire the passion, commitment and the determination to continually raise standards displayed by every sector, from top to bottom. I'm as inspired by the finest chef, hotelier or restaurateur working in the most luxurious surroundings as I am by the hard graft and altruistic behaviour shown by those in the cost sector.

Caterer's broad content means that I've covered everything from catering in schools, hospices and directors’ dining through to incredible trips overseas to the three-Michelin-starred El Bulli in Cala Monjoi, Spain (in 2000) and Thomas Keller's French Laundry restaurant in Napa Valley in (2001). I've also hovered above the Atlantic Ocean in a helicopter with the Evening Standard's Charles Campion, travelled to New York with Gail Platt from Coronation Street and Sue Johnston (aka Barbara Royle from The Royle Family) with Paul Heathcote and Nigel Haworth in hot pursuit and just recently had dinner with Pompey assistant manager Tony Adams (although there were 78 other people with us, including his wife).

My specialism on the magazine is gossip and I rely on a highly trusted group of contacts to feed me with the hottest industry stories - which is why we're first with the news. I look forward to delivering you my hot tips and having a good chat with more of you as I attempt to throw my net of informants wider. Hopefully we’ll speak soon.