Great British Menu star Simmie Vedi joins Leafe

BBC Great British Menu star Simmie Vedi has joined the team at the Leafe food hygiene and compliance management app.

Cardiff-based Vedi, known for appearing on series 18 of the TV cooking show, will spearhead the app’s customer relationship work with Pro-level clients as the business expands from a 12-person team to a 22-strong workforce at its Bristol HQ.

Vedi will bring her experience as head of food at Chapter arts centre in Cardiff to the role, ensuring pro-level customers have expert support from someone with hospitality experience.

Leafe App is a start-up turned scale-up which helps food and catering businesses of all sizes – from Crystal Palace FC and Ibis Hotels to local cafés across the UK – to manage their food safety compliance.

The app is Environmental Health Officer (EHO) audited and approved, with a pro subscription giving customers the support equivalent to a food safety department without needing to hire one.

Vedi said: “I’m so happy to be joining such an exciting, fast-growing company making major strides in the hospitality industry.

“It’s really exciting to be at the forefront of the movement to transform how we achieve top-level food hygiene in the digital age – and that is exactly what Leafe is doing.”

Asked what spurred her to take the leap and join Leafe, Vedi said: “It’s time for a change. I’m getting older and I want more freedom in my life. I’m still passionate about food – I love food – and I want to be part of hospitality in some way, but I also want to be able to choose when I’m tired without the kitchen making that choice for me.

“Leafe actively helps chefs to take that extra time and space they need – taking the burden off them to keep up compliance and safety standards on their own without much real support.

“This is an opportunity to use my hospitality knowledge - and increase my knowledge too. I haven’t built up 13 years of compliance and safety knowledge for nothing. I even try to keep my kitchen at home compliant!”

Leafe App CEO Samuel Chapman added: “Simmie is not only a talented chef but a talented person with a wealth of experience in the hospitality industry which we cannot wait to make the most of.

“We were so impressed by her expertise and her work as head of food at Chapter, and she is joining the team at an incredibly exciting time as we continue to expand our team and grow our subscriber community.

“We are certain Simmie will thrive at Leafe as much as she does in the kitchen.”

Image: Bradley at the Content Creators/Lanelay Hall Hotel & Spa