Foodservice Cateys 2022: Chef Manager of the Year – Michael Hannon, Signature Dining

Sponsored by Middleton Foods

Michael Hannon is the kind of colleague we'd all like to work with. Having joined Signature Dining in 2019 as chef manager at Andrew Cohen House, a community care home in Birmingham, he has supported both his team and the residents through what must have been particularly trying times.

Taking the reigns at the kosher kitchen, Hannon immersed himself in understanding kashrut, upholding the rules and traditions of Jewish cooking. He developed an excellent relationship with his client and supervising rabbi, and has worked closely with them to provide an outstanding service to the 59 residents.

Serving across two dining rooms and providing room service, Hannon has devised an order system that gives the residents flexibility of choice, while also giving the hospitality team all of the information that it needs. He has had to call on all of his creativity during lockdowns, too. When face-to-face service was impossible, with careful contingency planning Hannon seamlessly made the shift to room service, adapting the menus as needed to ensure a smooth transition.

Pre-Covid, Hannon served the community lunch club, who dined at Andrew Cohen House two days a week. With lockdown rules in place the gathering was cancelled, meaning that members were not only isolated, but missing their much-loved meals. As an alternative he launched a delivered meal service, offering a four-week menu that could be ordered in advance and delivered chilled for members to reheat at home.

Hannon also explored themes that would enhance the residents' dining experience and bring joy even during lockdown. One such initiative was the creation of a world tour menu, creating immersive theme days of the countries of the world in a bid to transport the residents to vibrant cities and tropical beaches. It had a tremendous impact on the residents who were dearly missing their loved ones.

When lockdown regulations lifted, Hannon supported the home in welcoming back visitors and the wider community with an exciting hospitality menu and calendar of lunch events. To encourage that engagement once again he has worked with the client and site staff to create the perfect atmosphere for his menus, developing an immersive experience for the residents.

Moreover, the effort put in during the pandemic within the home and delivered meals service to the lunch club members has earned Hannon the respect of the local Jewish community, bringing more events to the home, when it was able to fully reopen, and increasing the number of hospitality events at Andrew Cohen House.

Hannon is clearly an inspirational character and a worthy winner of the Chef Manager of the Year Foodservice Catey 2022.

What the judges said

"At a time when we've all had to dig deep, Michael showed he really looks after his team." Harry Lomas

"Innovative, supportive and compassionate. Michael has demonstrated all of these attributes in abundance." James Tagg

The shortlist

Barry Tunstall, BM

Brian Whitworth, HMP Bronzefield, Sodexo

Michael Hannon, Signature Dining

Past winners

2021 Wayne Corbett, Compass Group UK & Ireland

2019 Andrea Fawcett, Gather & Gather

2018 Tony Mulgrew, Ravenscliffe High School, Halifax

2017 Hanke Fischer, H+J

2016 Henry Maasdorp, Blue Apple

2015 Nigel Simmonds, Connect Catering

2014 Steve Deacon, Sodexo UK & Ireland

2013 Fred Ockwell, Brookwood Partnership