ACE Robyns Alumni 2022

2022 Winner
Caroline Bacigalupo
BaxterStorey
Caroline Bacigalupo
BaxterStorey
I am currently working with BaxterStorey as the Account Director on the wonderful NatWest contract. Having played a pivotal role in securing the contract extension for the next five years, I have been fortunate to have been offered a role within our sister company Holroyd Howe, heading up Scottish Operations and Business Development, starting this August.

My journey with BaxterStorey has allowed me this opportunity to move into another part of our WSH family and further progress my hospitality career.

My highlight during the pandemic was the introduction of the Jobs First Programme, supporting people joining the hospitality industry who have been affected by homelessness, which I would be aiming to continue to support and grow.
Wilfred Barnham
Green & Fortune
Wilfred Barnham
Green & Fortune
Over the last six months my role has been to lead the mobilisation of Green & Fortune's fourth venue. Now that we are open, my role as Operations Manager sees me leading a team of HODs to deliver a range of services to the 2000 capacity site, including a café, restaurant, bar and 10 floors of internal hospitality catering. A large part of my role is also to be the face of Green & Fortune on-site and form key relationships with our partners within the building.

My ambitions for the future are to progress my career, but to also grow my team and ensure we continue to build a positive and happy workplace for our both our partners and employees.
Tetiana Bartashchuk
Vacherin
Tetiana Bartashchuk
Vacherin
My primary ambition in life is to support my family while still having passion and time to develop the necessary skills and knowledge to become a competent and successful leader. In the next few years, I am working towards a promotion to catering manager with the company by growing my knowledge about the industry.

I am confident in building a strong, confident and motivated team with open lines of communication to support the company’s mission. My role as a front of house hospitality manager is to be able to keep everything running smoothly within a complex multi-tenant operation, collaborate in a way that ensures all team members are fulfilling their duties with the utmost care, attention to detail and to make sure we spot any issues before a client does.

I am responsible for coordinating and supervising staff members and leading them by example to ensure the highest quality services and to ensure my team members feel valued, motivated, and listened to.
Lily Bell
BaxterStorey
Lily Bell
BaxterStorey
I am an Account Manager for Visa Europe, one of BaxterStorey’s flagship contracts. I manage a team of 32 providing restaurant, hospitality, and event services across four locations. We operate as a partnership with the client – sustainability and technology innovation are a big part of what we do. I have a wellbeing led approach to management, am a mental health first aider and in March I launched BaxterStorey’s first Wellbeing Hub with industry support from The Burnt Chef Project. My future ambition is to become an Operations Manager.
Leo Coates
Bennett Hay
Leo Coates
Bennett Hay
Having worked in hospitality my whole career I am proud to have progressed to Director of Operations at Bennett Hay, an independent hospitality service provider employing 200+ colleagues.

Part of the company leadership team, working with our owners and fellow directors. overseeing the operations and culinary development across 31 client sites.

The future, I’m committed to my young family and development goals – namely to get our industry back on track and be instrumental in bringing about the changes expedited by the pandemic. I’ll continue to share my passion for hospitality with the next generation, getting them buzzing about food and service.
Anthony Dye
Sodexo
Anthony Dye
Sodexo
I am currently the executive head chef at one of Sodexo Corporate Services’ most prestigious London contracts - Shearman & Sterling LLP which is a US based legal firm with a global presence. Within my current role I manage the food services delivered to the London office, from fine dining to large functions and events.

My future ambitions are to further develop my skills, experience, and culinary knowledge, further progress my career within a contract environment whilst broadening and strengthening my knowledge of facilities management, and to give back to the industry I love by supporting and nurturing the new talent that our industry requires.
Ryan Lewis
Wilson Vale
Ryan Lewis
Wilson Vale
I am an Area Manager at Wilson Vale responsible for numerous sites with an annual turnover of £2.9m. I support my entire team to be the best they can be by developing their food knowledge, craft and business skills. It is important to me that I’m still very much craft-based and highly involved within the kitchen.

My ambitions have always remained the same – creating a great customer experience through amazing food, impeccable service, supporting local suppliers with a focus on sustainability and finally, climbing the Wilson Vale career ladder to new heights whilst absorbing as much knowledge along the way.
Steven Lickley
Vacherin
Steven Lickley
Vacherin
It’s been great to see business return with a bang this year. We’re back to serving 400 lunches a day and hosting regular events for 350 people. I have fantastic new talent in my team who I’m focused on developing into the next rising stars. Hopefully they’ll follow in my footsteps and enter MasterChef next year!

I’m also excited about progressing my own skills and career, working closely with the development team.

We’ve a busy, exciting summer ahead, for example we’re hosting a Gathered Table event with an Ollie Dabbous inspired tasting menu for an exclusive group of clients. It’s certainly good to be back!
Michaela Mulvey
Bartlett Mitchell
Michaela Mulvey
Bartlett Mitchell
I’m currently Digital Marketing Manager where I am responsible for supporting the development and growth of the BM brand. A major part of my role is to help drive recruitment by increasing awareness and engagement on our social media channels through the use of video content.

My future aspirations are focussed on continuous learning. I always want to be a student! I also want to be in positions where I can share knowledge and help others grow and succeed.

Longer term, my ambition is to further support ethical foodie businesses and help tell their stories to a wider audience.
Joanna Whalley
CH&Co.
Joanna Whalley
CH&Co.
I am currently working alongside the Workplace MDs within CH&Co, delivering the strategy across the sector, and advising on board decisions. I lead a team of 29 people who not only produce the management accounts and forecasts, but also business partner the operators to help them deliver their commercial targets.

My ambitions are somewhat limitless at this point, I was appointed my Finance Director role at 29, so I’d say my ambition would be to reach CFO by 39! One thing I know for sure, is that whatever I do will be done in hospitality as I have a true passion for the industry.