The Food for Life Catering Mark is based on the principles that food should be fresh, local, seasonal and better for animal welfare. It means food is freshly prepared using ingredients that are free from GM and harmful additives.

Why is that important? This means that the food Elior UK serve is meeting standards around freshness, provenance and traceability; students and staff can eat at London South Bank University with confidence. The Catering Mark shows that Elior UK prioritises and promotes healthy choices and sustainable purchasing.

Ernst Weisbrod, estates contracts manager at London South Bank University, said: “The health and wellbeing of our students, staff and visitors to the campus catering facilities is a priority for London South Bank University. Food is an important part of all of our daily lives and has a direct impact on our health. Our partners, Elior UK, have risen to the challenge and are playing their part by making healthy locally prepared food available."

Elior UK have passed a thorough inspection by the Soil Association to show that they meet the bronze standards detailed below, and will be inspected every year so that they can show they’ve kept up the good work.

Nigel Jobson, operations director at Elior UK, said, “For the Elior team to achieve the Bronze Food for Life Accreditations is a fantastic result. Meeting the standards for traceability, integrity and good provenance with a trusted industry symbol makes us very proud and it is one of the key goals we have pledged to achieve with London South Bank University, next step is the Silver standard!”

Bronze Standards

• Meals contain no undesirable food additives or hydrogenated fats
•  75% of dishes are freshly prepared
•  Meat is from farms which satisfy UK welfare standards
• Eggs are from cage-free hens
• Menus are seasonal
• Training is provided for all catering staff
• No GM ingredients are used
• Free drinking water is prominently available
• No fish are served from the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) ‘fish to avoid’ list
• Information is on display about food provenance
• All suppliers have been verified to ensure they apply appropriate food safety standards

Over 240 guests, including senior management, suppliers and finalists, gathered to celebrate Elior’s finest employees at the company’s annual awards ceremony held at the spectacular setting of Gorton Monastery, Manchester.

 

Hosted by the BBC’s Fiona Bruce the awards, which are in their 8^th year, recognise the achievements of individuals from across all divisions and regions of Elior UK, rewarding everyone from chefs, hospitality assistants and reception staff to managers.

 

Nine winners were named as top employees, including Polly Van Hagen who beat 11 other employees to win the Innovation Award. Polly, the general manager at B&Q, Portswood was recognised for increasing sales by 67% and growing margin and EBIT (earnings before interest and tax). She achieved this by engaging her team, customers and clients with a number of innovative activities which included, daily sales promotions she created in partnership with suppliers, marketing materials promoting local sourcing and green issues, and running farmers markets with nominated suppliers.

 

Gill Heath, catering manager at law firm DLA Piper in Leeds, was announced the winner of the Customer Service Award after judges were struck by her passion and energy and impressed by her excellent sales figures. Gill was recognised for creating a service culture that’s helped the business to retain customers and remain ahead of its retail competitors.

“My congratulations go to all of the winners and finalists. We feel extremely proud of the outstanding contributions these individuals have made to the business. In the current climate and competitive environment in which Elior operates, it’s vital that we show our appreciation for all the hard work they’ve invested. It’s important for us to nurture the kind of talent which has been showcased this evening if Elior is to maintain its competitive advantage,” commented Justin Johnson, head of HR services, Elior UK.

 

Employees were able to nominate their colleagues for the awards, resulting in a total of 290 entries across the nine categories. Each nomination then went through a rigorous judging process that involved evaluation by divisional directors followed by a face-to-face meeting with the senior management team judges, for the short-listed nominees.

 

“Fiona Bruce along with Elior’s interim HR director, Martin Archer and Justin Johnson led the prize giving, each of the winners were awarded with a trophy marking their achievement and a seven-night cruise to the Norwegian Fjords onboard Cunard’s famous Queen Elizabeth.

 

Award winners:

Customer Service – Gill Heath – Catering Manager, B&I East

Innovation – Polly Van Hagen – General Manager, B&I South

Professionalism – Carolyn Charlesworth, Management Accounts Team Leader, Finance

Responsibility - Nicky Ensell, Operations Support, B&I North, West, Central & Scotland

Rising Star - Marie Preece, Hospitality Manager – EIS

Chef Award - Jim Williams, Head Chef, B&I North, West, Central & Scotland

Culinary Competition – Jav Aziz, Executive Head Chef, Azure

Star site - Grace Academy, Solihull, Education

The new contract, which was signed following a rigorous tender process, is one of the largest in the UK stadia sector.  The extension continues a successful seven year relationship in which Elior has assisted Scottish Rugby in substantially growing its commercial income.

The new agreement will see Elior’s existing operating brand, ‘Murrayfield Experience’, evolve and rebrand as ‘Scottish Rugby Hospitality’.

Stronmagachan stovies, Argyll smoked salmon, Tomintoul venison and pork from the Dourie Farm in Newton Stewart have all appeared on BT Murrayfield menus during Elior’s tenure and the new offer will retain this strong focus on local, seasonal Scottish ingredients.

In addition, investment made by Elior will be used to develop the stadium’s hospitality and conference suites; creating enhanced modern facilities and providing innovative corporate matchday entertainment. Elior will also support the setup of new bar facilities around the stadium and implement new technology to simplify operations and improve the ongoing customer experience.

Catherine Roe, chief executive of Elior UK, said: “For seven years, Elior has been proud to serve the home of Scottish rugby by promoting quality local produce, providing exceptional customer experiences and growing Scottish Rugby’s commercial income. This new contract and investment gives us the opportunity to turn those strides into leaps and create memorable experiences for conference delegates, entertainment guests and rugby supporters for years to come.”

Andrew Healy, Finance Director at Scottish Rugby said: “Scottish Rugby wants every visitor at BT Murrayfield to have a great experience, especially on matchdays. We are therefore delighted to continue working with Elior to enable us to deliver a high quality hospitality offer together with a wide range of food and drink for our supporters at matches. The stadium also offers first class facilities for conferences, meetings, weddings, dinners, lunches and other events on non-matchdays, and we are again delighted that Elior will be working with us to offer these to an ever wider audience. As a Governing Body we need to look to maximise all our revenue streams to ensure money can be reinvested back into the sport and this significant long-term deal assists us in doing that.”

Elior will continue to offer cooking skills to Scottish Rugby academy players and support Scottish Rugby’s nominated charities in fundraising activities throughout the year.

Carl Morris, Elior’s director of marketing and communications, said: “Here at Elior we place CSR at the heart of our business strategy. It’s not just a tick in the box exercise, it runs right across the organisation. CSR matters to all our people and we’re thrilled to have had our efforts recognised by the FSM Awards.”

Elior’s approach to sustainable business in the UK has seen the contract caterer implement more than forty CSR initiatives across the organisation.

Recent initiatives have produced some incredible results, including:

• 211,402kg of saved by converting waste cooking oil to sustainable biofuel
• 100,235 hours of training for Elior colleagues provided
• 21% increase in new apprentices
• Named a Top 100 Apprenticeship Employer
• Twice named a Sunday Times Top 100 Best Big Company to Work For
• Gold Food For Life Catering Mark achieved at several Elior sites (guaranteeingnutrition, animal welfare, the environment and employee well-being have been considered)

The annual FSM Awards recognise contract caterers who have made an outstanding contribution to the industry.

The colonial-style building and artfully landscaped gardens, dotted with palm trees, provide a sprawling yet secluded space ideal for conferences, meetings, corporate events and parties. This is complemented by a wide choice of menu styles, all using fresh and seasonal ingredients.

With its modern interior and high vaulted ceilings, the space is both stylish and easily tailored. The main space can cater for up to 150 standing or 100 seated – with two additional syndicate rooms available.

Emma Tonna, Elior general manager for The Loft at Watersmead, said: “The Loft is a modern, flexible and inspiring space – perfect for all manner of corporate events. And with our head chef and experienced event planner on site, The Loft has everything you need for a memorable and truly unique event.”

The Loft has the latest in AV technology, including wireless internet, ceiling mounted projection, wall-mounted LED TVs, internal speakers and a wireless PA system.

To find out more about Venuelior, visit: www.venue-elior.co.uk

As part of the deal Elior, in partnership with the University, will be investing to improve facilities at three of the four campuses – Penrhyn Road, Kingston Hill and Knights Park.

The refurbishment will bring with it a host of contemporary restaurants and café bars to help create social hubs for students and staff. All four campuses will benefit from Elior’s full concept range, including the newly award-winning concepts Beak St. Chicken and GO’SASA deli.

Arran McDowell UK HR Director at Elior UK, said: “We’ve enjoyed an excellent relationship with Kingston University during the past 17 years – which this sizable contract renewal is testament to. We now look forward to building on that relationship further, with an even stronger offer. One that provides not just quality food, but quality experiences that enhance students’ satisfaction and keep them coming back for more.”

Bruce Armstrong, dean of students, said: “We’re delighted to be continuing our strong relationship with Elior and are excited about seeing campuses across Kingston University transformed as a result.”

The Soil Association ‘Food For Life’ Catering Mark is based on the principles that food should be fresh, local, healthy, ethically sourced and environmentally friendly. The Gold Catering Mark is the scheme’s premier award and uses a points system to mark candidates against three criteria:

1. Ethical and environmentally friendly food
2. Making healthy eating easy
3. Championing local producers

Robin Givens, sales director at Elior UK, said: “Elior is committed to providing healthy, tasty meals that have been sourced responsibly, ethically and – where possible – locally. We’ve undertaken a number of measures to promote these aims at Barts, including reducing the level of salt in our recipes, removing table salt and making fruit cheaper than main desserts.

“We also put out table talkers and posters to let customers know what local produce we use and we leave out customer comment cards to help us improve. Being a responsible company is something Elior take very seriously and we’re absolutely thrilled to have achieved the ‘Food For Life’ Gold Catering Mark with Barts Health NHS Trust.”

Kenny Hanlon, associate director of estates and facilities for the Royal London Hospital, said: “The health and wellbeing of our patients, visitors and employees is always our first priority. It’s important we set a good example of healthy eating and environmental responsibility too. Achieving the Bronze Catering Mark was a big step for us and we’re thrilled to have now achieved Gold, with the help of our partner Elior UK.”

Catering Mark standards are set and overseen by the independent ‘Food For Life’ Catering Mark Standards Committee. The committee is made up of a range of independent experts, who are appointed by open recruitment on the basis of their individual experience and knowledge.

Formed in 2007 Waterfall Catering Group has 803 sites across the UK with focus on the growing education and care markets. The company has shown significant growth over the last decade and last year generated revenues of £70 million. Waterfall Catering Group employs 3,500 people with two customer-facing brands – Caterplus (a care specialist) and Taylor Shaw (an education specialist).

“This acquisition is fully part of our 2016-2020 strategic plan to expand our presence in priority markets,” said Philippe Salle, Elior Group Chairman and CEO. “Waterfall Catering Group’ strong client portfolio and its outstanding expertise will greatly support our ambition to be part of the top contract caterers in the UK market and double the size of the activity there by 2020. The market presents joint opportunities, in segments in which Elior Group has a referent position: education, healthcare and premium business & industry. We intend to continue to expand in the United Kingdom both organically and through M&A, and Waterfall Catering Group’s acquisition mirrors perfectly our strategy.”

The acquisition is the second for Elior Group in the UK after Lexington Catering in September 2014.

Catherine Roe, CEO of Elior UK, said: “This is an exciting move for both Elior UK and Waterfall Catering Group. Together we share a common passion for delivering great customer experiences and innovative food services. The acquisition allows Elior Group to strengthen its growing market position in the UK and enhance the support and resource available to our respective customers.” 

Waterfall Catering Group CEO Jim Lovett said: “We share similar values and a similar ethos in terms of our approach towards clients, attention to detail and great food. The combined effect of our two businesses and our differentiation and specialism will make us an even more powerful force in the care and education markets.” 

Taylor Shaw and Caterplus will continue to operate under their current brands as part of Elior Group. Chairman Vince Pearson, CEO Jim Lovett and CFO Gabrielle Higham will keep their position and will remain as minority shareholders to oversee the next phase of growth.

All 3,500 employees will remain part of the team going forward.

The acquisition provides an exit for Waterfall's institutional backers LDC, the private equity arm of Lloyds Banking Group, which invested in the business in December 2014.

From the likes of high street restaurants such as Ceviche and Las Iguanas to the more BBQ-focused restaurants like Cabana, Preto, and Rodizio Rico – flavour tourism is driving strong interest in South American foods.

Matt Joblin, Elior offer development manager, said: “As flavour tourism increases, customers are seeking out new dishes and ever bolder flavours. And South American food is proving particularly popular. With Rio just around the corner, the timing couldn’t be better for Elior UK to update its Latina Merica concept. This beefed up version has a much stronger focus on the BBQ element. This trend is growing rapidly in popularity, with 22% growth expected by 2020[1].”

The refreshed offer comes with more than 35 recipes bursting with South American flavour. These include lime & chilli glazed sausage skewers, Latina spit-charred pork and spicy malagueta chicken. Each protein is served with a choice of tasty sides like quinoa, rice & black beans and a range of vibrant salads e.g. Brazilian pea & sweetcorn or mango, kale & sweet potato.

And for those on a meat-free diet, there are some delicious spicy tofu & vegetarian skewers too.

Accelerating Leaders – which has been recognised by the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) – provides Elior’s top talent with the skills and development they need to manage multiple sites. The programme, which launched in 2016, forms part of Elior’s Leadership Academy.

Chloe Lander, Elior’s talent & resource manager, said: “We spotted that there’s a big transition required when a manager expands their portfolio for the first time. Taking the step up to managing several sites requires juggling many operations – and without having the intimate working knowledge of a site and its people that they had as a single site manager. We’re launching Accelerating Leaders to fill this skills gap and support our top talent when they make this leap.”

The programme has a practical focus, with only three classroom sessions over the eight month programme. The rest of the time is allocated to learning while actively implementing projects within the business. Team members who enrol on the course will be given tips on improving their time management, coaching others and commercial skills.
    
Chole continues: “Accelerating Leaders isn’t ‘one size fits all’. Everyone has their own style of leadership. That’s why the programme starts with delegates learning about their own style. Only with this awareness can they fulfil their leadership potential and help Elior to achieve its ambitious targets.”

Each delegate is assigned with a mentor and one of four high level business coaches to fast-track their progression. It is hoped that current delegates will take Accelerating Leaders mentorships next year.

Jav Aziz, executive head chef at Glasgow Rangers Football Club has been named the winner of Elior’s X-Factor style Culinary Challenge after wowing a panel of expert judges, incluing celebrity chef Brian Turner CBE, with his innovative menu and culinary skills.

 

The announcement was made at the contract caterer’s company awards ceremony on 3 February 2011 after Jav beat nine other finalists in a tough round of challenges held at Unilever Foodsolutions’ Innovations Centre in January.

 

The competition saw over 40 chefs from different areas of the organisation submit their menu ideas, with the top ten being asked to attend a National Final Day. The finalists were asked to take part in a mystery elimination round involving the technical challenge of filleting, pin boning and portioning a whole salmon before cooking the prepared fish and serving it with a flavoured risotto.

 

The top five were then selected to participate in an intense two-hour cook-off where they had to create a chicken dish and dessert from a set list of ingredients. It was Jav’s creative Textures of Chicken with Black Pudding Vegetable Broth and tempting Trio of Desserts (Vanilla Pod Crème Brulée, Bramley Apple Crumble Tart and Black Cherry Chocolate Fondant) that saw him crowned champion.

 

The runners-up were named as Leon Williams, Digby Trout Restaurants and Daniel Towell, Avenance Business and Industry South.

 

Peter Joyner, Elior’s food development director, said: “Congratulations to Jav on an outstanding achievement, he managed to stave off some pretty tough competition. The calibre of the entries was very impressive; they really highlighted the passion our chefs have for delivering the very best dining experience, whether they’re catering for business and industry, education, stadia or defence. The menus demonstrated flair and a thorough understanding of the individual needs of each sector. It’s this kind of culinary expertise that really adds value to our clients businesses.”

 

Jav will be joining all the other company awards winners on a trip onboard the Queen Elizabeth liner exploring the Norwegian Fjords. The two runners-up received an Elior Awards of Excellence trophy in recognition of their achievement.

 

The judging panel was made up of Brian Turner CBE, Jerry Toth, operations director of Sundial Group, Ray Lorimar, executive chef, Unilever Foodsolutions and Peter Griffiths MBE, Salon director of Hotelympia.

Contract caterer Elior UK has celebrated its outstanding colleagues at its annual Awards for Excellence.

Aptly, the awards were hosted by Britain’s Got Talent judge, David Walliams. 

Each of the 11 categories recognise an outstanding contribution towards Elior’s operations, from site managers to apprentices. More than 4,000 entries were received across each of the categories.

The event climaxed with a live vote from attendees in the ‘You Made a Difference’ category, which celebrates a team member who has gone above and beyond their duty in demonstrating Elior’s values. The results saw Timi Takacs, supervisor at St Bart’s Hospital, take the You Made a Difference top spot. She was commended for her personal approach to service, which supported patients through difficult periods and saw them return to the hospital to dine, even after they had been discharged.

Arran McDowell, Elior HR director says: “Elior’s colleagues are at the heart of what we do. They’re a crucial part of delivering a service where the whole experience matters, so it’s right that we make note of their contribution with a glittering awards ceremony. And who better to reward top talent than Britain’s Got Talent judge, David Walliams. I’d like to extend my congratulations to everyone nominated for an award.”

Each of the category winners receives a trip to Rome, followed by a seven night cruise around Italy on the luxury vessel, Star Clipper.

More than 200 guests from across the foodservice industry attended the event, held at 8 Northumberland Avenue, London. Elior’s UK Culinary Competition grand finalists prepared a three course lunch to mark the occasion.

Elior’s Awards for Excellence were announced as follows:

• Customer Service: Muharem Sumaric, food and beverage assistant, BT Murrayfield

• eXperience Service Champion: Carl Perkins, joint site lead, EE Plymouth

• Chef Award: Jav Aziz, executive head chef, Rangers F.C.

• Culinary Competition: Andy Jeff, chef manager, UPM Caledonian

• Star Site: BT Murrayfield

• Special Recognition: Nil Johnston, development chef, retail and Four Seasons Health Care

• Site Colleague of the Year: Emma Malcolm, cleaner, South Cerney

• Manager of the Year: Andrew Davies, site manager, Lulworth

• Support Services Colleague of the Year: Scott Allibone, operations manager, defence and vending

• Apprentice of the Year: Katy Keen, training administrator, learning & development

• You Made a Difference: Timi Takacs, supervisor, St Bart's Hospital

This new report demonstrates Elior’s approach to sustainable business in the UK. The report highlights our achievements over our previous report and outlines our objectives for the future.

Within the report you will see a fresh approach to CSR which aligns the UK with the Group objectives. This enables the UK to participate and underpin wider company principles and aspirations. This divides CSR into 3 key areas: a responsible company, a committed employer and an active partner.

What’s in the report?

In this year’s report you’ll find features on sustainable purchasing, accreditations, innovation and trends, health and safety achievements and key highlights of the work Elior and its employees have completed over the last year.

Why a CSR report?

CSR reporting has become common practice within 21^st Century business. It allows us to act transparently and gives our clients and customers an insight into how we as a company act responsibly. The report is intended to share our successes of the previous year and our aims and vision for the future.  

View an Online Copy of the 2015-2016 CSR Report

Elior UK has agreed a 15-year deal worth £2.1m per annum with Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust to transform the Trust’s retail and dining outlets. The redevelopment will create approximately 30 jobs.

Under the new offering, Elior will revamp catering at Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital in Grimsby with an Eatwell restaurant, a ‘Proud To Serve Costa Coffee’ outlet and a Londis shop. Another Eatwell restaurant and two kiosks serving Costa Coffee will be introduced at Scunthorpe General Hospital as well as a coffee outlet at Goole Hospital.

Elior will also launch new vending suites at Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital, Scunthorpe General Hospital and Goole and District Hospital. The redevelopment will provide a wide selection of food and drink options to suit a range of budgets and tastes, from traditional British fare to global street food.

In addition, Elior’s modern menus will be introduced at all the Scunthorpe and Grimsby hospital restaurants, meaning hospital employees and visitors will soon be able to enjoy a range of high street quality on-trend dishes on site.

Jug Johal, director of estates and facilities at Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We are thrilled to be working with Elior who will offer a great selection of fresh, local food for our staff and visitors at competitive prices. We’ve agreed a deal to jointly fund the refurbishment of our shops and restaurants, to improve the experience for everyone who uses the facilities.”

Ruth Lomax, sales director at Elior, said: “We are very excited to be working with the Trust and can’t wait for staff and visitors to sample our delicious meals. We confident people will be impressed with the new offer and the excellent customer service.”

Elior UK has scooped the coveted Innovation Award at last night’s Cost Sector Catering Awards for sizzling new street-food concept Beak St. Chicken.

Beak St. Chicken has transformed restaurants across the country – offering customers high street quality, great value chicken plates that never get boring.

The scorching new concept has turned customer perceptions of onsite catering upside down – and has been setting tills on fire too. After introducing Beak St. to their sites, Elior’s clients have reported an average sales uplift of 30%, with some reporting increases of up to 89%.

Pulling inspiration from those corners of the world where chicken is done best – customers can choose between three world flavour profiles: Piri Piri, Deep South and Mexican Mole.

                                   

And with the choice between a half chicken, breast, leg or wings – along with a whole spread of different sauces, ‘slaws and sides – there’s so much variety on offer that diners could have Beak St. every day of the week without ever ordering the same plate twice.

Elior’s offer development manager, Matt Joblin, said: “Chicken is the UK’s favourite protein group in the casual dining sector, making up 31% of all out of home meals. So we wanted to offer our customers an innovative chicken concept in their workplaces, stadiums and campuses that would give the high street a run for its money.

“We’re thrilled to have been recognised by the Cost Sector Catering Awards for our innovative approach and the positive impact this concept has had at sites across the country.”

Following the heats in December, six semi-finalists attended the Final. On the day, each semi-finalist was given five minutes to calibrate the grinder (with everyone started at the same point) and then serve six random drinks. The semi-final was judged by Danny Raleigh (West Country Milk), Nicola Manual (L&D Manager), Alfred Bouffard (Hot Beverage Buyer) and Sean Pittaway (Senior Barista & Coffee Specialist at UCC coffee). 

We are tremendously proud to have hosted our first ever barista competition and very encouraged to see so much passion for great coffee across the business. 

All our baristas were acknowledged for their calm demeanor throughout the competition despite the keen eyes of the judges and audience. Their passion and skill is truly admirable. 

Once everyone had completed the first round we announced the grand finalists: Barbara and Josh. 

They each then produced their signature drink for the grand final judging panel of Catherine Roe, Marcus Swift (Sales and Marketing Director at UCC coffee) and Sean Pittaway. 

Barbara created a Bakewell Latte, Josh created a Chocolate Mocha with Homemade Orange Syrup. 

Congratulations to all our finalists, many of whom had long journeys t our final at West Ham and, most importantly, our worthy winner - Josh - a true star barista!

The agreement covers 48 locations in the North West and 48 locations in the East of England. This sizable win comes at a time when only five per cent of all care home catering is outsourced.

As part of the contract, Elior will create a range of menus that offer nutritious, yet much-loved food, using a bespoke nutritional programme that can be tailored to reflect local tastes. It will also meet the needs of residents with a wide range of dietary requirements, including diabetes and dysphagia.

Rachael Junge, Managing Director in the North West commented “At Four Seasons we pride ourselves on providing Special Resident Experiences and the food we serve on a daily basis is a huge part of our residents’ day.  Our partnership with Elior has helped us to consistently offer nutritious meals that residents love.”

Following its successful tender, Elior has demonstrated its capabilities through a ‘proof of concept’ trial at eight homes in Manchester. It has introduced its concepts and systems smoothly at these sites, and has now started to roll out its plan across the remaining 88 sites.

Sunil Bhatt, Four Seasons Health Care procurement project manager says: “We partnered with Elior because of their vast bank of care catering expertise. By letting Elior manage our catering, we’ve freed up our home managers’ time, so they can focus on delivering very good care within their homes.”

Robin Comerford, healthcare development director for Elior said: “We’re looking forward to bringing our sector-specific expertise to Four Seasons Health Care. Food is one of the most important aspects of the care home. It improves the residents’ quality of life and is a focal point for friends and families. By raising the standard of catering, we’re revealing the excellent service residents receive, and helping Four Seasons Health Care increase occupancy.”

The contracts will see more than 500 care home team members become part of Elior. There has already been significant support for the development, with around 120 Four Seasons chefs, home and general managers attending a well-received engagement day in Manchester.

Here Elior unveiled the new opportunities available; showcasing its nutritious and appealing meals through food sampling, and sharing information about its varied training programme, which covers topics from computer skills to allergen awareness and health and safety compliance.

Sponsored by City and Guilds, the awards celebrate employers like Elior that grow talent through apprenticeships. In 2015, 309 apprentices trained with Elior. Each worked towards National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) at Levels 2, 3, 4 and Diploma, in subjects as varied as Food Production and Cooking through to Hospitality Management.

The scheme has been so successful, more people than ever are choosing to become Elior apprentices, with the number of new starters increasing by 21% in 2015. Expressions of interest have increased three-fold at Elior’s Apprenticeship Roadshows, which visit Elior sites around the country demonstrating the scheme’s benefits to existing colleagues.

According to the National Apprenticeship Service, Elior stood out because of the impact apprenticeships had on its business.

Sue Husband, director of the National Apprenticeship Service, said: “These Top 100 apprenticeship employers have made a difference to the lives of young people by investing in their future whilst apprentices themselves help employers to develop a skilled, qualified workforce that builds a stronger economy.”

The National Apprenticeship Service received more than 1,200 entries before selecting Elior for a place in the Top 100.

Arran McDowell, Elior UK HR director, said: “We’re proud that our apprenticeship scheme is ranked as one of the best in the UK. With two million dining occasions a week, it is crucial we have a team of happy, motivated people to deliver great experiences. Apprentices give us a chance to nurture raw talent, create a bank of skills and build loyalty.

“There’s no limit on the experience level of a new Elior apprentice, so I’d encourage all colleagues interested in developing skills and earning an industry-recognised qualification to consider the scheme.”

Deborah Oakley, catering manager at The Hemsley, University of Nottingham, said: “Being an Elior apprentice boosted my confidence. My line managers respect my qualifications, which have opened up more doors for me in Elior.

“Initially I studied for a Level 3 Hospitality and Leadership NVQ with Elior. This gave me a sense of pride that spurred me on to take Level 4 Hospitality Management. It was tough work, but made me realise the value of my skills. I’m encouraging my team to work towards similar qualifications.”

The national win follows a further National Apprenticeship Service recognition in October, where Elior was named Highly Commended Macro Employer of the Year in the North West.

Following an extensive judging process, we are delighted to announce the six Barista’s going forward to the final of Elior’s first Barista Championship, each of whom created six coffee based drinks to an extremely high standard, and excellent level of customer service.

Congratulations to the following finalists!

• Geana Geier – SOAS
• Luis Redin – Linklaters 
• Emma Repton – The Forum
• Joshua Davies – Kingston University
• Barbara Kwasniewska  – Dong Energy 
• Junior Shultz – illy Liverpool

The six finalists will be invited to produce 6 drinks (to be revealed on the day). The top two will then go head to head and present their own signature espresso based drink which will judged by Catherine Roe and United Coffee.

The final will be held on the 19th January at 3:30pm, West Ham Football Club. 

International contract caterer, Elior Group, is providing catering services to the 45,000 daily conference attendees at Paris-Le Bourget for COP21 – the United Nations climate change conference.

A variety of foodservice offers combine taste, pleasure, convenience and great service with responsible sourcing, promotion of climate change awareness among staff and initiatives to fight food waste.

Philippe Salle, chairman and CEO, Elior Group, says: “Elior is offering catering formats ranging from light snacks to bistronomique meals, prepared by a team of our top chefs and promoting the finest in French cuisine. And it’s not by chance that Elior Group was chosen to participate in this important event - for more than 10 years, it has been committed to socially and environmentally responsible practices in every step of the value chain.” 

Elior UK, the catering partner at BT Murrayfield in Edinburgh, has won a gold award at the Best Bar None Awards 2015, designed to recognise and promote socially responsible venues. The team will now go forward to the Scottish National Awards in March 2016 in the category of Specialist Entertainment Venue. 

Left to right Paul Waterson, chief executive, SLTA (left), James Nicholson, site director, BT Murrayfield (centre), Councillor Eric Milligan, convenor, Scottish Licensing Board (right)  

Judges scored the caterer against a stringent list of essential and desirable criteria. Elior was the highest placed contender in its category and was praised by the judging committee for going above and beyond its remit and for demonstrating best practice.

James Nicholson, Site Director for Elior at BT Murrayfield said: “We’re committed to doing everything we can to safeguard the experience quality and safety of all our guests at BT Murrayfield. It’s fantastic for the team to be recognised in this way.”

The Best Bar None scheme was developed by Greater Manchester Police as part of the Manchester City Centre Safe project in 2003. Its remit - to address alcohol related crime, particularly anti-social behaviour and violence and promote socially responsible venues. It was felt that in order for progress to be made in delivering a safer night time economy, a new consensual approach across licensed businesses was required to enhance and complement traditional enforcement activity. In 2005, the scheme was launched in Scotland and since then it has grown from strength to strength.

Themes of the inspection included: Capacity, Security, Drinks/Drunkenness, Drugs, Theft, Disorder, Terrorism Awareness, First Aid, Management, Glass, Fire Safety, Building Safety, Transport, Disability, Noise, Community Engagement, Public Health and Children.

The ceremony was held at the City Arts Centre, Edinburgh, hosted by the convenor of the Scottish Licensing Board, Councillor Eric Milligan.

More details about the awards here: www.bbnscotland.co.uk

On Thursday 26 November Emily Clark, Chef de Partie at GLG Partners, was crowned Lexington’s ‘Chef of the Year’ at their ninth annual chef competition, LexChef 2015.

Emily admitted she was shocked to hear she had won. She said, “So much time and hard work went into competing but it has been the most rewarding experience. I have had so much support throughout the competition, so it was an amazing feeling to be able to bring home the trophy to everyone at GLG Partners. 

Established in 2006, the competition brings together some of the industry’s most prestigious and experienced chefs to judge the competition. These include The Square's Phil Howard; Michelin starred restaurateur Jeff Galvin, Mark Flanagan, Head Chef to the Royal Household, Clare Smyth MBE, the first female British chef to hold and retain three Michelin stars, and Elior's Food Development Director Peter Joyner.

In the end it was Emily’s superb use of ingredients and technical skills that gave her the edge. Rob Kirby, Chef Director at Lexington, said, “Emily joined our apprentice programme, Lex School of Talent, just two years ago and has gone from strength to strength. She’s an amazing chef so it was fantastic to see her win – she impressed us from day one with her can-do attitude and creativity. We are very proud of her achievement and her menu, which from a young chef shows a lot of skill and amazing potential.”

Emily’s winning menu included a starter of smoked eel, walnut puree, baby gem, dressed with maple and poached egg yolk, followed by duck a l’orange, poached duck breast, duck crackling, burnt orange puree and orange carrots, with a dessert of lemon poppy seed cake with liquorish and fennel sorbet.

Clare Smyth MBE commented on the standard of cooking. She said, “Year-on-year the standard of cooking at this competition has got better and better. It’s amazing to see cooks of such a young age display such love for their craft – there was a lot of skill and they clearly enjoy what they are doing above anything else, which is fantastic.”

This year over 100 chefs entered the competition and the team got it down to seven finalists who competed in the annual cook-off: Emily Clark, Chef de Partie at GLG Partners; Louise Roberts, Lex School of Talent Graduate; Tim Blake, Head Chef at Man Group; Phil Read, Sous Chef at Standard Bank; Kristian Cooke, Commis Chef at Linklaters; James Willis, Senior Sous Chef at London Business School; and Fran Owen, Chef de Partie at Knight Frank.

Phil Howard, from The Square, said all the judges felt it was the most consistent competition of its type they’ve ever judged. He said, “The standard from these young chefs was outstanding – it’s great to see youth with such passion. It’s so exciting to see the general level of craft, ability and cooking in this country is on the rise.”

The prize for Emily’s efforts; a tasting menu for two, with wine, at Phil Howard’s two Michelin starred restaurant, The Square. Emily will also compete in Elior’s Chef of the Year Competition.