ACE Robyns Alumni 2017

2017 Winner
Laura Amos
Ampersand
Laura Amos
Ampersand
In my current role as general manager for the Cafe at the Palace I am responsible for the smooth running of the on-site visitor restaurant alongside running various high profile dinners, events & receptions throughout the year. It is my responsibility to lead a team of up to 20 members of staff to provide a first class experience for each and every one of our 200,000 visitors each year. Short term vision and goal is to further drive the turnover of Café at the Palace until we are in the million pound contract club which I am confident we can achieve in the not too distant future. Longer term I’d like to take a step into the learning and development side of the business as it would give me great job satisfaction to pass on some of the skills and knowledge that I have gained in my career to date in order to help others really grow and develop.
Sonia Carvalho
Restaurant Associates
Sonia Carvalho
Restaurant Associates
I currently work for Restaurant Associates (RA) as their Head of Coffee. It is a job which was created for me and my passion for all things coffee and people. I feel very fortunate to be in a position which allows me to come to work and do what I love every day. I think the most rewarding element of my job, is that I am playing an active role in shaping the future of our coffee culture whilst helping to grow the RA business along the way. Not only how we as a business develop our coffee offers and baristas, but how our clients and customers perceive us.
Amanda Cox
Sodexo
Amanda Cox
Sodexo
Both guest and client satisfaction are the drivers that motivate me to ensure the highest level of standards are in place across all the lounges I support and oversee. My primary focus is to guarantee service excellence - from ensuring the food served is second to none, to making sure my catering, cleaning and front of house teams provide a welcoming, first class service for our guests. My ambitions for the future are to support the growth of the Aviation business within Sodexo and showcase Sodexo’s ability to not only improve, but enhance the service quality and delivery in the hospitality industry but most importantly for me, is to make a difference, by transforming what could be a good experience into what has the potential to be a unique one.
Rebecca Cupitt
Lusso
Rebecca Cupitt
Lusso
I am the Group General Manager at Accenture, Lusso. With my teams I deliver quality focused catering solutions to our clients at the Head Office in London and in Newcastle, alongside catering services at 18 Accenture satellite offices. My aspiration is that my next move will be the springboard that leads me to a Director role within the industry. My dream ambition is to start my own business; I would like to offer products and services which reflect our changing cultural eating habits and the critical need for a sustainable environment.
Nicolé du Preez
Restaurant Associates
Nicolé du Preez
Restaurant Associates
I am the General Manager of a medium-sized unit which includes a staff restaurant as well as hospitality and fine dining. I would like to become account manager in a larger contract or take on a more regional/operations management role looking after a number of units. I enjoy taking on challenges and learning new skills which I believe both of these roles would offer. There are amazing opportunities for passionate individuals in this industry and I am excited to explore what these are.
Teresa Gohil
Amadeus Food
Teresa Gohil
Amadeus Food
I am currently an Operational Catering Manager for the Mobile Catering Division, which manages all non-fixed Amadeus catering units at the NEC. My role involves the logistical movement, set up and operation of modular catering equipment build in the hall, show feature café and concept food areas. I am working with my team and the development chefs team to create, launch and operate new branded catering concepts to increase the Mobile Catering Division net income in this financial year. The most gratifying role for me right now is mentoring and developing my newly structured young and dynamic team.
Chris Howard-Kraft
Blue Apple
Chris Howard-Kraft
Blue Apple
My team and I cater for up to 1700 people, working with many different clientele offering nothing but local fresh seasonal produce. We have a real passion to deliver good tasty food to ensure that our customers have the best experience possible. In the future I see myself growing within the company and being more operational, so that I can inspire young chefs with my knowledge and enthusiasm. I was always taught that if you enjoy your job you will never have to work a day in your life. I love my job and this industry.
Marta Pegram
Lexington
Ryan Davies
BaxterStorey
I am currently working as a Catering Manager in one of Lexington’s largest multi tenanted sites, looking after 28 members of staff. My role involves managing the day-to-day operation of a busy site with a population of 4,000 people, to ensure all hospitality, café and vending points are run exceptionally. Key responsibilities include recruitment, marketing and managing finance to ensure we hit targets and make a profit. I also invest a lot of time to support our Graduate Scheme. In the future I would like to become an Operations Manager, helping to drive the growth of the business and continue to support others who want to progress. I absolutely love what I do and feel very proud to be where I am, having joined Lexington as a Catering Assistant. To progress into a role in Operations would be fantastic.
Sam Roth
BaxterStorey
Sam Roth
BaxterStorey
I am currently the Group Manager of Visa Europe, operating over a number of sites in the UK. In this capacity, I have responsibility for engaging people, running a profitable operation, creating memorable hospitality events and working collaboratively, using up to date technology, with the Visa in-house innovation department to create new concepts to drive our food business forward. Looking ahead, I aspire to be the Chief Executive of a large multinational foodservice business, which makes a difference to the lives of the many working for my enterprise whilst exceeding the expectations of our loyal customers.
Robert Simmons
BaxterStorey
Robert Simmons
BaxterStorey
I am currently the Account Director for BaxterStorey at Deutsche Bank UK&I. I aspire to move up into more senior roles, this is because my real passion ambition is about being able to influence people with food, beverage and service trends. I want to give all of the teams I have the pleasure of working with, the freedom to collaborate and to deliver the very best, the most whacky, cool and interesting options, solutions and offers for our customers and clients.
Miguel Teixeira
Bartlett Mitchell
Miguel Teixeira
Bartlett Mitchell
As Coffee Brands Manager I manage the Perkee coffee brand for Bartlett Mitchell. This involves assessing and mobilising coffee bars, barista training to exceptional standards using SCA barista levels. I audit our sites every quarter and assess our baristas to make sure that consistency is maintained. I also ensure that our baristas have the support and skills they need to deliver outstanding barista-served coffee. I particularly enjoy meeting customers and my barista and latte art customer workshops are very popular. I plan to work closely with the SCA and develop my training and education role as this is key for our business to thrive and I also enjoy it.
Adam Thomason
Restaurant Associates
Adam Thomason
Restaurant Associates
I am the Executive Chef for Deloitte in London. My role is to ensure the consistency of the menus for the 7 kitchens across the Campus serving over 1000 covers every day. The favourite part of my job is the development of the food offer and changing our menu on a monthly basis. I look forward to developing some educational projects such as the apprentice scheme which I intend to spread across the national account. My aim for the future is to devise new ways for the team to grow and become stronger together through ever evolving creativity.
David Touizer
CH & Co.
David Touizer
CH & Co.
Working closely with onsite teams, continually improving standards to aid retention, and promote growth. This dovetails into working with the Learning & Development, Sales, and Operations teams, to be the best we can be. I want to inspire my chefs to create amazing dishes and stunning menus at every level across the board, through my own passion for and knowledge of food. Helping to educate and motivate everyone from an apprentice or commis, right through to a head or executive chef to get excited about the fantastic variety of ingredients we have available on offer to us, and the wide array of culinary styles that we can use to bring those ingredients to life.