Chef Mark Sargeant and ISS Food and Hospitality renew training partnership
Chef Mark Sargeant and ISS Facility Services Food and Hospitality have renewed their partnership in a contract set to run for the next three years.
Sargeant, who runs restaurant Rocksalt in Folkstone, Kent, offers ISS chefs and front of house staff a training course called The Mark Sargeant Experience, which involves regular visits to the restaurant to develop their skills.
The chef directly mentors the staff involved and advises the ISS Food Development team on its "Skills for Chefs" training programme, as well as helping with the design and development of the ISS fine-dining menus. He will also attend the ISS Food and Hospitality conference.
Andy Chappell, managing director for ISS Food & Hospitality, said: "The relationship with Mark has worked so well over the past 12 months that we were naturally keen to extend it. Mark's passion for great food has been a real inspiration to our employees and customers alike. His personality and style of cooking using the best available produce reflects our culture as a business.
"The courses he runs for us are always oversubscribed as our people genuinely want to learn from the best. We are delighted to form a long term strategic relationship with Mark to help deliver our objectives as a business."
Sargeant himself said he was very happy to be continuing the partnership and that he had learned a lot from the process.
He said: "I have really enjoyed the first year working with Andy and ISS and so was very keen to continue our relationship. It is always a pleasure to work with people who share my passion and are keen to learn.
"But I have to admit that I have learned from ISS as well. Its procurement operation is genuinely first rate and I had never seen anything like its marketing toolbox in the catering industry before. I am feeling really excited about what we can achieve together over the next three years."