Heroes at every level

It’s easy to compliment top managers and head chefs, but we never forget that it’s those behind the scenes who are often the real heroes. William’s a great example. Not only does he care about the quality of food he prepares every day, but he often goes way beyond the kitchen to make a difference.

There aren't many people who would cancel their holiday to cover a team member. But William did it without hesitation – in fact, without even being asked. It made a bold statement about the commitment he has to his work. His actions embody everything we believe – that it’s the desire to go the extra mile that makes a difference, not your title. William Dago is a member of our production team at HSBC in London

Dedicated people – our most important ingredient

We love working with people who share our passion for food. It’s the principle we’ve built our whole business on and it ensures that even those who work outside the kitchen put their heart into what they do. Colum is the perfect example.

When he isn’t managing his contract, his passion is allotments – specifically, growing fruit and vegetables. It’s something we greatly admire in him because his values are so similar to our own. Just like us, he loves the earthy feel of fresh produce in his hands. He keeps trying to convince us to set up allotments across the country and grow our own food. We tell him we’re happy supporting local suppliers. Besides, we’d need a lot of allotments. Colum Fullerton is the Chef Manager for Candover Services

Happiness is a cake that’s good for you

Since Giles took over the home baking at HSBC's headquarters, the demand for cakes and pastries has kept on rising.

From 5,000 pastries and 21 lines per week at the start, to 10,000 pastries and 40 lines today – the “Baked by Giles” range has become a recognised brand at HSBC. Giles is constantly evolving it too, receiving hundreds of recipes and requests from his customers. His fresh, baked-on-site goods never contain any additives or preservatives either. Cakes have never been so good for you. Giles Denton is the Head Pastry Chef at HSBC in London

Food that deserves a second helping

What people want today isn’t just delicious food. They want to feel good inside knowing they’re helping the environment as well. That’s exactly what we offer in our menus.

James knows – as we do – that giving customers what they want means they’ll come back time and again. It’s why he’s always keen to discuss seasonality, local sourcing, food miles, in fact any of the sustainability issues that concern them. Where possible he’ll even suggest alternative menus that not only delight the palate, but are less harmful to the earth that nurtures them. We're just glad our customers want the same things as us. James Greetham is Managing Director for Prestige London.

The Explorer

At Prestige London we compare food to a blank canvas. We understand the enormity of our world; the provenance, the seasons and the endless combinations of textures and flavours. To thrive in such a constraint free environment it is imperative to have a team of natural inquisitors.

At Prestige London we have food explorers in abundance and Alex is at the forefront of this. Be it the smoothest flat white, the tastiest dim sum or a mouth-watering sea bass ceviche, Alex’s enthusiasm for all things food is irresistible. Whether she is touring London’s top 5 coffee houses or searching for the ultimate cheese and wine combination, she is constantly looking to spark debate and the teams’ imagination to come up with fantastic new ideas. Alexandra Kristall is the Operational Development Manager for Prestige London

Our meat preparation begins at the farm

Sourcing meat is just like sourcing the best fruit or vegetables – the quality on the plate depends on how it was grown in the first place. As Dominic says “a happy animal means a more succulent piece of meat with better texture and flavour”. It’s for this reason that we only ever select meat that we can fully trace back to farmers who rear their animals impeccably.

A lot can also happen to produce between the field and your fork. Dominic knows that storage, ageing and quality of the cut all have a critical impact on the meat we serve, so he only works with butchers who meet his uncompromising standards. Because to us, cooking great meat dishes begins way outside the kitchen. Dominic Barham is one of our Head Chefs at Prestige London

A masterclass in motivation

A kitchen should be an exciting place, full of inspiration, ideas and creativity. We understand that more than most, that’s why, when Peter had a masterclass with legendary chef, Pierre Koffman, he couldn’t have been more motivated or excited.

The masterclass was part of an ongoing and unique initiative that's helping to inspire not only our chefs but their customers too. Just ask the people at 3i. The extra skills Peter picked up are sampled every day in their restaurant. Peter O’Connor is the Head Chef at 3i in London

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