DAVID KENNY
O
David Kenny, managing director of Eurest, tells Tina Nielsen that the days of one-size-fits-all workplace catering are long gone, as he outlines a modern approach to meeting the needs of workers
n the face of it, casinos and offices don’t have a whole lot in common. But, as David Kenny, managing director of Eurest,
explains, there are more parallels than might appear obvious. He should know; he
operated casinos for seven years with Rank Group before joining Eurest in 2023. “Food played a big part in casinos because in many ways it is part of what attracts people – and keeps them there,” he says. “We would cater for people from all over the globe, so it was really important that our food offer was as good as the rest of London’s restaurants.” Tis is where Eurest plays
to its strengths as an expert partner to help businesses create that space for staff and see the catering offer as an investment in their people. It also helps to attract new staff. “A lot of businesses are seeing a real war for talent and a well thought through food and beverage program can play a huge part,” he says. And in the post-Covid
environment, the challenge is even more nuanced. “Businesses today are having to work harder than ever to get people to come
into the office, and one of our really big focuses is to build culture around food and drink,” explains Kenny. Among Eurest partners are
everything from manufacturers to corporate HQs. While health and well-being sit at the core of every program they develop, the concepts they work on with partners span everything from traditional restaurants with counters and a person on the till to AI tray scanners and Amazon Just Walk Out stores. “Te days of one-size-fits-
all and just taking a food offer off the shelf are long gone,” he says. “Te ability to pivot and create something innovative that balances health and well-being with cost is an area that we really focus on.” He mentions an example of a big bustling distribution center where people “have thought about what they wanted this space to be. Te restaurants had lots of greenery and pictures, different kinds of furniture allowing people to sit on their own or in groups – somewhere you could have a great break. Tat is a business that has really got it.” Another – a car
manufacturer – has decided that every worker must be within a five-minute walk of a hot meal,
regardless of where they are, from the production line to the office. “Tey go one step further and discount all healthy items by 50% – they see how workers being healthy translates to their bottom line. Ultimately it is an investment in reducing sickness leave and improving mental health.”
A DIFFERENT APPROACH
Kenny’s experience before operating casinos gave him a good taste of the hospitality sector. After training as an accountant, he took a role focused on openings and acquisitions for Travelodge Hotels and went on to gain industry-wide experience running pubs, bars, restaurants and hotels. At Eurest he found the
perfect combination of his passions: people and food. “Compass Group, the parent company of Eurest, has a real desire to make a difference,” he says. “Whether that is in terms of the planet promise and sustainability, or our commitment to improving
the lives of a million people by 2030, I have a job with a business that wants to leave the world a better place.” As a father of teenagers,
this is something that is important to him. Innovation and culinary
creativity play a central role in Eurest. We speak in the week of Stop Food Waste Day, and he describes how the kitchen team has come up with a novel way to reuse leftover chips (fries) – the single biggest waste item by weight. “Tey took the chips and turned them into bread for a bun to be served with fresh fish for a delicious fish sandwich,” he says. Another example is the focaccia made with leftover porridge. If sustainability is an
evergreen priority in the business today, offering genuine value for money is another: “With one client we have a £5 meal that includes a bottle of water every day,” he says. “Te reality is we’ll have a number of people for whom their meal at work could be their only hot meal of the day. So, for us, it’s important that
“One of our big areas of focus is to build culture around food and drink in the workplace”
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