'One of the good guys': Foodservice industry pays tribute to James Greetham

Tributes have been paid to James Greetham following his death, aged 55.

Greetham had over two decades of experience working in the foodservice industry, having held a number of business development roles at the likes of Elior, Searcys, Sodexo, Restaurant Associates, Levy and Bartlett Mitchell.

More recently he began his own foodservice consultancy, Sprung Collective, in 2021, working with clients including the National Theatre.

EP Business in Hospitality – a sister company to Sprung Collective – announced the news that Greetham had passed away following a short illness.

Last year, Greetham was diagnosed with stage 3 oesophageal cancer, but he was believed to be in remission.

He had a huge passion for the food and drink sector, having grown up on a dairy farm in Yorkshire.

Greetham leaves behind his wife of 24 years Amanda and their three children, Alfie, Mae and Betsy. 

Jon Davies, chief executive of Levy described Greetham as “one of the good guys”.

“I met him over twenty years ago and he was always very honest and gave me great advice over the years. I looked up to him, he was like a cool older brother,” said Davies.

“I’ll remember his humour, positivity, kindness, professionalism and love. I’ll also remember the gigs, the pints, the great meals, the laughs, the pranks and simply him being a great friend. Heartbroken for Amanda and his young family.

“Life is frighteningly short, and James certainly deserved a few more overs at the crease. RIP buddy.”

Wendy Bartlett, co-founder of caterer BM, said: "James, I always thought I had one of the nicest natures. He was always thoughtful positive calm and had a great disposition."

Sue Thompson, business excellence director at Restaurant Associates, said: “I had the pleasure of working closely with James during his time as our sales director at Restaurant Associates. It’s incredibly difficult to put into words the sadness I felt upon hearing of his passing last week.

“James brought an infectious enthusiasm to everything he did – whether it was work, life, or planning his next big family adventure. He was the kind of person who lit up a room, not just with energy, but with genuine warmth and kindness. I still remember the big hugs in the office when we secured a new contract – he celebrated success with his whole heart. But just as importantly, he had a quiet, reassuring way with people when things didn’t go quite to plan. He always made time for others, and his support for his colleagues was unwavering.

“As so many of the tributes have rightly said, James was a truly lovely man. He brought people together, lifted them up, and made work a better place to be. He will be deeply missed by all of us who had the privilege to work alongside him.”