From Plate Wash to Pasta Master: Josh’s Apprenticeship Journey

One of the most rewarding parts of what we do—aside from feeding people brilliant food—is nurturing the next generation of talent. And right now, we couldn’t be prouder of Josh, our apprentice who's making fantastic strides across the business.

Josh started his journey with us at one of our staff dining sites in Milton Keynes, spending the first six months soaking up the fundamentals of kitchen life. Under the wing of Tony—one of our most seasoned and patient mentors—he learned the essential building blocks of contract catering. Knife skills, prep routines, food safety, service standards… all the groundwork that turns raw talent into a real asset in the kitchen.

But this year, it was time to broaden his horizons.

We started moving Josh across different parts of the business, showing him the full spectrum of what contract catering can be. First stop: London hospitality, shadowing Jamie, our executive hospitality chef who oversees our food creations in London and regional operations. Josh stepped up to help with a high-end bowl food lunch for a client event, followed by an elegant canapé and wine tasting event for Cheltenham. Real-world, real service, real pressure—and he handled it like a pro.

Then came a week with Chef Neil, one of our fine craftspeople we’re lucky to have on our team. Together, they rolled pasta from scratch (a game-changer for any chef-in-training), turned it into beautiful plated dishes, and later jumped into an artisan bread workshop—focaccia, baguettes, farmhouse loaves, the works. Josh thrived. They served up a stunning deli sandwich lunch that had clients raving.

But we didn’t stop there.

Because being a great chef today is about more than just cooking. It’s about understanding where your food comes from—a principle that sits right at the heart of our B Corp mission. So we took Josh on a supplier visit. Until then, his experience with produce was watching it roll off the back of a van. This time, he met the farmers, the pickers, the packers—the real people behind the produce. He saw the journey from field to fork, and it completely changed how he looks at ingredients.

One standout stop was a micro herb farm—an incredible operation powered by smart technology and forward-thinking sustainability. Even we were wowed by their setup. And the best part? They’re expanding, bringing in energy-efficient upgrades and tech-driven solutions to reduce their environmental impact. This is the kind of future-facing food system we’re proud to be part of.

Most recently, Josh has spent time at our St Albans site, a totally different site to his previous site experience so far. There, he jumped into high-volume catering for international students—still cooking with care, but at a larger scale and a faster pace. He also dipped into front-of-house skills, which we see as crucial for any chef's growth. Understanding the service side of things—how meals are presented, how staff interact with customers—builds empathy and sharpens the bigger picture.

Josh’s development has been holistic. He started as a plate wash, moved through store management, got a taste of fine dining, high volume catering, supplier relationships and front-of-house operations. He’s learned that every role, every ingredient, and every person in the chain matters.

This isn’t just training—it’s investment. And it’s what being a responsible, future-focused catering company is all about. As a B Corp, we believe in business as a force for good. That means nurturing people, supporting sustainable suppliers, and creating experiences that go beyond the plate.

So here’s to Josh—and to everyone out there growing, learning, and building a better food future, one service at a time.