The head of the School of Hospitality and Tourism at the University of West London is considered a leader within the industry and has a solid record of awards, research and culinary successes in a career spanning 40 years.
He has been a regular name in the Top 20 Public Sector Most Influential list of catering professionals, which is run by Cost Sector Catering but decided by an independent judging panel.
Through his teaching, and particularly through his industry books Practical Cookery and Theory of Catering, he has educated and inspired many thousands currently working in catering today – both in the UK and worldwide.
The Contract Catering Special Award went to Wendy Bartlett, the co-founder and current managing director of Bartlett Mitchell.
Since starting the niche independent caterer 13 years ago with Ian Mitchell, she has seen the company grow to the point it now employs more than 500 people, turns over £18m-plus and feeds 25,000 daily across 70 sites in the south east.
In 2010 she won the entrepreneur category in the Shine Awards that recognise the achievements of women in hospitality. In May last year she joined the board of directors at the British Hospitality Association (BHA), one of just two catering industry representatives on the board.
The full list of last night’s winners and runners-up is:
Armed Services Award
(Sponsored by Purple Foodservice)
Winner - Warrant Officer Willie Dixon (RAF)
Runners-up - Able Seaman Luke Gaffney (RN)
Warrant Officer Class 2 (Staff Quartermaster Sergeant) Donna Oliver (Army)
Care Catering Award
(Sponsored by Pritchitts)
Winner - Preston Walker, Kitchen Manager, Oak House Residential Care Home
Runners-up - James Cannon, General Catering Manager, Bartlett Mitchell - The Priory
Liz Dobson, Service Manager, Catering & Facilities, Nottingham City Council
Chef Award
(Sponsored by E&R Moffat)
Winner – Gerard O'Sullivan, Culinary Director, Aramark
Runners-up - Gareth Billington, Executive Head Chef, Sodexo Prestige at Everton Football Club
Bob Brown, Regional Executive Chef, Eurest
Steve Golding, Executive Chef, Sodexo Prestige
Darren Thompson, Executive Chef, International Large Accounts, Sodexo
Contract Catering Award
(Sponsored by Gram UK)
Winner – Taylor Shaw
Runners-up - Aspens Services
Innovate Services
ISS Facility Services Education
The Brookwood Partnership
Contract Catering District Manager Award
(Sponsored by Nero & Bianco)
Winner - Jason Bendell, Senior Account Manager, Sodexo Prestige and Corporate Services
Runners-up - Emilia Brinkworth, Operations Manager, The Brookwood Partnership Ltd
Georgina Cooper, Operations Business Manager, Bartlett Mitchell
Corporate Responsibility Award
(Sponsored by McCain Foods)
Winner - University of Manchester
Runners-up - Bartlett Mitchell
Edinburgh Napier University
Education Award
(Sponsored by Premier Foods)
Winner - Lynda Mitchell & The Contracts Team, Contracts Management, North Somerset Council
Runners-up - Nicola Bowen-Smith, Kitchen Manager, Riverbank School Catering Team, Tayside Contracts
Steve Evans, General Services Manager, Nottingham Girls High School
Brad Pearce, Education Catering Manager, Plymouth City Council
Event Caterer Award
(Sponsored by Saffron)
Winner – Aramark
Runners-up - Ampersand Events
The University of Manchester
Healthcare Award
(Sponsored by Unilever Food Solutions)
Winner - Jill Venables, Head of Facilities, Hull & East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust
Runners-up - Andrew Jones, Services Development Director, ISS Facility Services - Healthcare
Derrick Stevens, Catering Services Manager, Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Marketing Award
(Sponsored by Santa Maria)
Winner – Manchester Fayre
Runners-up - Education Catering, Cardiff Council
NACC GWR Working Group
Public Sector Award
(Sponsored by Pasta King)
Winner - Sue Harrison, Head of Catering, House of Commons
Runners-up - Gerry Clinton, Catering and Traded Services Manager, Havering Catering Services
Carol McMath, Catering Cook Trainer, Kibble Education & Care Centre
Stadia Award
(Sponsored by Fresh Montgomery)
Winner – Jan Matthews, London Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games
Runners-up - CGC Events Ltd
Levy Restaurants @ Chelsea Football Club
Unit Manager Award
(Sponsored by Peros)
Winner - Elisa-Jade Romford-Smith, Chef Manager, Bartlett Mitchell
Runners-up - Stuart Cawley, General Manager, Bartlett Mitchell
Diana Davies, Unit Manager, Elior
Ian Mulligan, Unit Catering Manager, Manchester Fayre
Hazel Parry, Catering Manager / Chef, Thomas Franks
University/College Award
(Sponsored by Brakes)
Winner - Brian Cole, Catering Manager, New College, Oxford
Runners-up - Sarah Parker, Catering Services Manager, The Cheltenham Ladies College
Dominic Rumsey, Restaurant and Bar Manager, Royal Northern College of Music
Special Award - Public Sector
(Sponsored by Hobart)
Winner – Professor David Foskett, University of West London
No nominees, chosen directly
Special Award - Contract Catering
(Sponsored by Hobart)
Winner – Wendy Bartlett, Bartlett Mitchell