Matthew's passion

Contract catering has a bad press. It's viewed as the poor relation in the hospitality industry. But these days many talented young chefs are making contract catering the first choice in their career paths.

Matthew Bennett, aged 27, is one such chef. Head chef for Baxter & Platts at its Price Waterhouse contract, in the Southwark Tower at London Bridge, he opted for contract catering so he could pursue his other love - football. Apart from a one-year stint in a restaurant early in his career, he has consistently worked in contract catering units.

Bennett has had a lifelong love affair with food. He recalls how his childhood revolved around the family kitchen. "We all had to muck in and help. I didn't want to miss out," he says. Later, during summer holidays, he helped out at a restaurant belonging to a friend of his father, "peeling spuds and destalking mushrooms".

His father Brian encouraged him to pursue a career in food, and he is still the single biggest influence in Bennett's life.

One chef in particular has also given him inspiration - Raymond Blanc. Bennett reads all he can about Blanc and has all his books. A special treat on his 21st birthday was lunch at Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons. Bennett's father arranged for Blanc to come and sign a copy of his book at their table.

During a one-year stint as commis chef at Checkers restaurant in Rickmansworth, Bennett realised that, much as he liked his job, he wanted to lead a more active social life. Relationships were difficult to sustain, and there wasn't enough time to play football or follow his favourite team, Leeds United. A look at the options led to his decision to enter contract catering.

Earlier in his career, Bennett worked for contract caterers Gardner Merchant and Aramark before joining Baxter & Platts 18 months ago - first as chef-manager at Price Waterhouse, Number One London Bridge, where he was responsible for creating and developing menus for partners' dining rooms, plus cooking and taking care of bookwork.

At the end of September, Bennett moved to Price Waterhouse's Southwark Towers building. In his new position as head chef, he has responsibility for directors' dining.

Six private dining rooms, with a seating capacity of 70, come under his supervision. Price Waterhouse partners dine here - they range in age from 28 to 60, and are accustomed to dining in Michelin-starred restaurants. Bennett is responsible for titillating their taste-buds, persuading them to dine in-house rather than eat out.

Bennett has a budget of £9 per head for food. Partners pay £37.50 for a three-course formal luncheon and £50 for dinner. Drinks are included in the price.

Luncheon menus include grilled king scallops served on a vegetable pasta with a lime and chervil sauce; galantine of magret duck, truffle and apricot served with a rich port jus; and tulip basket served with a ball of mango sorbet, accompanied by soft red berries on a pool of passion fruit coulis.

Menu lists for ordering dinners go out to partners for functions. They're much the same as a restaurant menu, with the exception that Bennett's kitchen is advised at least a day in advance. A selection of 20 canapés, 12 starters, 12 main courses (including four vegetarian choices in each) and eight desserts are on offer.

Food is prepared fresh, nothing pre-prepared. Bennett fillets the fish, bones the meat and prepares his own vegetables. His quest for excellence means that he prefers to do it that way. "If you want the best food, you need the freshest ingredients," he remarks. "If a London restaurant chef came in, he wouldn't find anything different in this establishment."

Vegetarian options may include spinach and blue cheese filo parcel with seasonal leaves, or roast vegetable and lentil casserole with wild rice. Any specific dietary requirements are checked out prior to visits and the information logged on to computer for future reference.

On average, 35 covers per day are catered for in partners' dining, while numbers vary for the evenings according to the time of year. "It's the season for functions. We'll be busy evenings through until February," says Bennett wryly. "Christmas Eve is a big day. Price Waterhouse partners all attend the Founders Day luncheon, in honour of the founding of the firm in 1849."

Along with providing a selection of canapés and Champagne trolleys in partners' offices, Bennett is also responsible for the banqueting suite, which seats up to 180 people. And occasionally he is asked to cater in a partner's private residence, a task he is happy to perform. "I'm here to provide whatever is asked for," he says cheerfully.

Bennett and second chef Martin Doyle run the kitchen. When necessary, they employ a temp to help out with canapés.

Each Thursday, he consults with hospitality manager Geoff Edwards and, taking into account requests from partners, compiles a menu to serve the following week in the dining suites. A complete seasonal change occurs every four months, but Bennett happily accommodates requests for a rerun of a favourite meal.

His aim is to provide a filling, tasty meal which is visually attractive. He dislikes leaving diners full to the brim.

His contract is based on a 40-hour week, working 7.30am-4pm, Monday to Friday. However, with evening functions taking place at least three nights a week, he tends to work an average of 22 hours a week overtime, for which he gets paid time-and-a-half rates.

Bennett reveals pressures in contract catering that don't happen in the restaurant trade. "We're feeding the same people day in, day out," he says. "Our food has to appeal to their palates and be top quality. The diners notice any changes I make to a dish, even if it's just the garnish. At the end of the day, they can always vote with their feet and eat elsewhere.

"With a brigade of two, we have to be adaptable as well," he adds. "We need to turn our hand to all the starters, main courses and desserts, and to excel at them all."

To check out potential new dishes, Bennett invites four or five senior partners to a taste test. He notes their comments, and adjusts the dish to suit.

It's evident from his manner that Bennett is proud of what he is doing. His stance on contract catering is clear. He believes that the image of the "tatty, grubby chef, shouting and swearing in the kitchens" has gone, and in its place is much the same kind of chef who works in a restaurant.

He'd like detractors to take another look, to see how far contract catering has come in the past five years.

Wages are coming into line, according to Bennett. A commis chef gets £10,000-£12,000, a second chef £14,000-£16,000, while a head chef could expect £18,000-£23,000 per annum.

What does the future hold for Bennett? "I'd like my own place, without a shadow of a doubt," he affirms. "A quaint little bistro, seating 30-40, wine bar one side and restaurant the other. Charging maybe £15 per head… good affordable food." First, though, he hopes to work in a French family restaurant for a year, "to polish off the edges a bit".

In the meantime, he's enjoying the daily challenge of tempting the somewhat-jaded palates at Price Waterhouse.

"I love what I'm doing," he says. "If you don't love and enjoy it, including prepping and scrubbing, don't be a chef! Food is the most important thing in our lives next to sleep. Whether you are cooking at home or work, be excited about it."