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it can make as well has having equity, diver- sity and inclusion as a fixed agenda item at all board meetings and is putting processes in place to measure and drive change. As the business prepares to celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2025, its leadership is focused on ensuring it is well positioned for the future. In a competitive market, that has seen a number of new entrants in the past year, the managing directors say they remain confident in its offer. Brydon adds: “Competition is great for our
academy since joining WSH and Brydon has been taking part in reverse mentoring, which he says is allowing him to analyse his decision- making processes.
A diverse agenda Prentice has been leading the company’s envi- ronmental, social and governance work. BM is a member of the Sustainable Restaurant Asso- ciation, a Planet Mark-certified business and has achieved a gold Ecovadis accreditation. Prentice says the business continues
to develop its environmental practice and pursue targets to reduce its carbon footprint, but he feels it is the social and governance areas that are currently at the forefront. BM has been working with diversity, inclu-
sion and change management specialist Nata- sha Landers to assess the operational changes
Fundamentally food
BM has expanded its culinary team under chef director Pete Redman and head of chef development and innovation Daryll Young, who are responsible for crafting the food offer served to some 40,000 customers each day. Brydon says: “The message
we’ve received is that people want home comforts done really well, but not the elaboration of it being really cheffy. You need to keep it nice and simple but great. People are quite critical if things are not as they think they should be.”
22 | The Caterer | 22 March 2024 The business has worked
to ensure its chefs retain autonomy despite the constraints of increasing legislation, including the mandated displaying of calories. Chefs develop menus for their sites in collaboration with clients and have the ability to adapt dishes thanks to the systems in place. Brydon adds: “We create
lots of menus for inspiration but ultimately we’re employing chefs, educating them and developing them to deliver great food that they’re proud of.” Chefs spend time with BM’s
chef partners Adam Byatt of Michelin-starred Trinity in Clapham, who hosts monthly masterclasses, and Mark Kempson, who welcomes chefs for stages at Michelin- starred W8 in Kensington. The business also runs
regular workshops with chefs recently having spent days foraging and learning to make knives. Chefs are also invited
to develop pop-ups. The most recent pop-up had a Senegambian theme and another will celebrate the cuisine of Mauritius.
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“Once you’re here, you’re part of something. You’re part of our growth and
that’s exciting” Angus Brydon
sector as it keeps us all on our toes. A new independent caterer will bring something slightly different because they’ll want to cre- ate their own pathway. The acquisition BM has been through means we’re a stable, assured piece of business and that’s exciting for us. We all have one objective: to produce great food and look after our clients. We all just do it slightly differently.” Brydon has taken on an additional respon-
sibility as “committee chair” of the company- wide party that will celebrate the achievements of BM over the past quarter of a century. He adds: “Yes, it’s a catering company, but it has created a lot of opportunities for a lot of people. It’s a business but it doesn’t feel like it’s simply a business – it feels like part of your daily life. That’s a huge thing to celebrate and we thank Wendy and Ian for creating that.”
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PHOTOS: PAUL WINCH-FURNESS
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