Meet our chefs
It all starts with our chefs – they deliver food which delights our customers, they are well trained and passionate about what they do. From corporate catering in staff restaurants to fine dining at world-class sporting events, we operate on many levels aiming to give our customers an exceptional food experience. Meet some of the chefs from across our business below.
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Responsible for the culinary development of some 2,500 chefs working across the UK and Ireland and a leading ambassador for bringing through the next generation of cooks into the industry.
David Mulcahy, Food Development and Innovation Director
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‘I always wanted to be a chef,’ says Gemma. ‘I come from a big family, being the eldest of seven I was always helping my mum at mealtime.’
Gemma Amor, Executive Chef, Ascot Racecourse
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I believe that the best training for chefs is to see first-hand where the food they are using originates so I ensure our chefs get the opportunity to visit suppliers regularly.
Tom Allen, Food Development Director, Schools & Universities
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"I dropped out of 3rd level education and instead pursued a 2 year college course in professional cookery. I went on to work in 5 star hotels and Michelin star restaurants in Ireland for the first 10 years of my career."
Julianne Forrestal, Executive Craft Chef, Sodexo Ireland
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Winner of the first ever B&I StrEAT Food Awards! “I’ve been in quite a few competitions and this is a bit different from the norm. I feel over the moon to have won.
Mark Wetherill, Executive Development Chef
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Cathy has a real passion for craft and people development. She regularly hosts training workshops and has a dedicated centre of excellence where new concepts and ideas are shared and best practices are communicated to her teams.
Cathy Adamson, Development Chef, Government
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Gareth Billington is the Executive Head Chef at Everton Football Club, managing 32 staff members, plus overseeing the Everton Free School culinary team.
Gareth Billington, Executive Chef, Goodison Park
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Ben joined the Major Events Team where he quickly understood the complexities and challenges of delivering some of the UK’s iconic summer events, none more complex than running the Prestige Pavilion, serving 25,000 covers, for the London 2012 Olympics.
Ben Dutson, Head Chef, Fine-dining and Innovation, Ascot Racecourse
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“I love everything about my job,” he says “and I’m very fortunate to work with an incredible team of people throughout our business."
Tom Beauchamp, Head Chef for Scottish venues
Up and coming
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“Sodexo and the guys I work with have put a lot of effort into supporting and mentoring me."
Read the full storyAndy Voice, Sodexo Chef of the Year 2019
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"Sodexo has given me that first step and it’s 100% my goal to progress further to a sous chef role, and who knows, maybe even a head chef."
Read her blogJulia Jewers, Commis Chef Apprentice
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Nikola Pihakova joined Sodexo from the hotel industry, where she had worked since starting her course in hospitality management in her native Czech Republic. She was a finalist at the Sodexo Chef of the Year final 2018.
Watch the finalists videoNikola Pihakova, Chef of the Year finalist 2018