Supplier press release: Unsung hero wins Craft Guild's contract caterer award

AN ‘unsung hero' who not only oversees 80 sites across the City, but runs networking groups and supplier workshops, has won Contract Catering Chef at the Craft Guild of Chefs Awards 2012.

Mark Crowe, strategic development chef for Elior UK, was presented with the award - sponsored by Broadland Farms Fresh Turkey - at a glittering ceremony at Wembley stadium on Wednesday.

With over 22 years experience as a chef, Mark has orchestrated innovative food solutions, managed tight food budgets and labour costs to ensure GP and targets are consistently met, and is described by colleagues at Elior as an ‘unsung hero', with an open style of management, coupled with a passion for great food and bringing out the best in his team and satisfying clients.

Inspired by his time working in five star hotels and Michelin starred restaurants in the UK and France, he remains actively involved in developing new food concepts for Elior and ensures the manager and chef on-site take ownership of any changes he implements following a review.

He also organises a networking group on a quarterly basis, where 50 chefs meet to discuss industry issues, share best practice and take part in supplier workshops, as well as encouraging youngsters to look at a career in hospitality as a FutureChef mentor for Springboard.

Contract Catering Chef is one of 16 categories in the annual Craft Guild of Chefs Awards, which reward leading lights from across the industry, whether they work in a village pub, fine dining restaurant, city university, military unit, contract catering or in a retailer's development kitchen.

Broadland Farms Fresh Turkey, which sponsored the award as part of Bernard Matthews Foodservice, is a range of quality, British turkey cuts, prepared by expert butchers from the traditional home of British turkey farming. Chefs can ‘lean on' fresh turkey to create cost-effective, low in fat and saturated fat, turkey dishes for use on menus all year round.

Broadland Farms Fresh Turkey Carvery Crown, Fresh Turkey Butterfly, Fresh Single Turkey Breast Lobe and Fresh Thick Cut Turkey Steaks all won the right to display the Craft Guild's ‘Approved Product' logo on their packaging earlier this year, with the range exceeding the association's pass mark for the scheme, designed to help chefs make better choices when sourcing products.

For more information, visit www.bernardmatthewsfoodservice.co.uk or call 0845 519 4097.

This press release was provided by Bernard Matthews Foodservice

Catererandhotelkeeper.com supplier profile: Bernard Matthews Foodservice