The full list of all 20 will be appearing tomorrow (Friday 28th November). An article looking in more depth at the list, and why the people on it were chosen, is appearing in the December issue of Public Sector Catering magazine.
The Public Sector Catering Most Influential List is an annual recognition of individuals who have made a significant impact on catering. It highlights leaders who drive improvements in nutrition, sustainability and workforce development.
Those selected often champion initiatives such as improving school meal quality, tackling malnutrition in hospitals, promoting plant-based or lower-carbon menus, and shaping national food policy. Being named on the list is considered a major accolade within the industry.
The ‘most influential’ list is chosen each year by a panel of independent judges. The final five making the list are:
- Iain Robertson is a former NHS chef and is now the national chair of the Hospital Caterers Association (HCA). His main focus areas involve making the association more inclusive and attracting younger catering leaders.
- Alexia Robinson, founder of Love British Food, arranges farm visits for NHS caterers to show them the environmental and nutritional reasons for buying from British farmers and has now spoken to every HCA regional branch.
- Phil Shelley is the senior operational manager for soft FM at NHS England and also its national lead for Net Zero Food. He chaired the Independent Review of NHS Hospital Food in 2020 that laid out eight National Standards of Hospital Food for patients, staff and visitors.
- Anna Taylor is executive director Food Foundation. It continues to produce surveys and reports to apply pressure to Governments for more action on child poverty, including free school meals (FSM) for all primary-age children.
- LACA Chair – TBC. Recently rebranded as The School Food People, LACA - the organisation represents 550 catering managers who are responsible for 110,000 staff across 27,000 schools in England, Scotland, and Wales. Together they deliver 3m lunches to the nation's schoolchildren every term-time day.