Asking the Question

A highly inquisitive nature is perhaps a chef’s most important asset and Glasgow Sheriff Court’s Raymond Cavanagh has it in abundance.

Having left school at 16, Raymond joined Glasgow Sheriff Court as a kitchen porter before accepting a Sodexo invitation to attend night classes and develop his skills as a chef. The hard work paid off and after three years of studying, Raymond emerged with city and guild qualifications as a chef. By the age of just 24, Raymond was appointed head chef of Glasgow Sheriff Court, one of the youngest in Scotland; and this year overcame hundreds of our finest chefs to become Sodexo’s Chef of the Year! Raymond Cavanagh is our head chef at Glasgow Sheriff Court

Menus that change with the seasons

Everyone who works with us knows the importance of good food. It’s the foundation of our company. For Stephen, it’s a raison d’être.

He takes time to understand, and is always working within, the local supply chain – adjusting the menus to match the food available. Stephen’s passion benefits everyone. Not only because it helps the local community and environment, but because customers get to eat deliciously fresh, seasonal food that's honestly priced. Like Stephen, we know how critically important that is. After all, good food should be good for everyone, from the person who grows it to the person who eats it. Stephen Frost is our Executive Chef in Scotland for Sports, Leisure and Events

Making the most of nature’s bounty

Many chefs claim to believe in sustainability. Ours really do, and none more so than Ben.

As Head Chef at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh, he is constantly using the produce grown on the estate – making jams and jellies from the apples, medlars and quinces. He also works hard to theme his menus to complement exhibitions held at the Gardens. Making sure nothing goes to waste is another vital element in our Better Tomorrow Plan. Ben demonstrates this by making sure all the used coffee grounds are given away to customers or turned into compost. It's a simple example but we believe it's critically important because it shows how passionate we all are, not only for food, but for our beautiful environment – just like the one Bob cooks in. Ben Harrison is the Head Chef at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh

Accelerating our efforts to be greener

We’re always looking for ways to improve how we treat the environment and that’s why Paul’s role is hugely important in driving our company ethos.

The commercial vehicle initiative he introduced in Scotland is a great example. Not only does he require rationalisation of the makes and models of vehicles available to us, he also ensures the selection process considers miles per gallon, CO2 and life cycle costs. So far, Paul’s managed to reduce fuel consumption by 2.5% on our 850 commercial vehicles, and that’s despite a 12.9% growth in turnover. So while a lot of our people have green fingers, it’s Paul who’s helping us and our clients to extend our green credentials. Paul Bracegirdle is the Environment Manager for Sodexo

We bake happy cakes

We know that happier hens make for happier clients, happier farmers and a happier conscience. That’s why all the eggs we use for our home baking come from free-range chickens.

It’s not just our hens that benefit though. At Blair Castle, Leigh upholds our priority for keeping food miles low ensuring all our ingredients are fresh with a low carbon footprint. The cherry on top is that all our home baking is also done in-house, helping us create environmentally friendly food and happy customers all year round. Leigh Crichton is the General Manager at Blair Castle, Blair Atholl, Pitlochry

Investing in our people

People are more important to us than anything else. They're the heart of our company; the force that makes everything tick. Graham knows it too. That's why he's so dedicated to inspiring them – setting up training and masterclasses with celebrated chefs such as Willie Pike.

These sessions help us stretch the imaginations of our chefs – bringing new ideas to the table so that we’re always at the cutting edge. He doesn't just invest in our chefs though. Everyone, from our IT people, to our financial controllers reap the benefits of Graham's approach to learning. Now, when people join his team, they never want to leave, because passionate people are happier, more committed people. We believe that’s a priceless investment. Graham Box is the Managing Director of Sodexo Prestige Scotland

Getting a taste of the environment

Ask any chef and they’ll say that a great dish begins with fresh produce. Trevor’s belief in this goes a little further however. As well as using the best locally sourced produce, he goes foraging for interesting ingredients to make his dishes extra special.

We actively encourage him. After all, what better way to get a real taste of the local environment than eating its freshly picked wild produce. From wild garlic and mushrooms, to hawthorn berries and salads with edible flowers, each menu we serve our clients is a seasonal story. And each dish a mouth-watering chapter. Trevor Garden is one of our Head Chefs at Sodexo Prestige Scotland

Local businesses need a local touch

Our culture embraces the importance of local sourcing. Using smaller suppliers benefits local communities, as well as ensuring the food is always fresh and seasonal, of course. Nobody upholds this better than Austin.

The beef he buys is completely traceable and comes from trusted farms in Scotland. He's on first name terms with most of the local farmers too and works hard to fully understand everything they do and what it means to clients and customers. Personal relationships like this make a real difference. Because by knowing how their business operates, we’re not only better at operating ours, we’re better able to help yours too. Austin Tilsley is the Regional Director, Sport, Leisure and Events Scotland

A burning desire to inspire

Passion and skill are qualities we have in abundance at Sodexo Prestige and it's people like Alan that help us develop them. We know how much of a difference it can make in turning a good meal into a great one, so Alan's approach to inspiring his team is something we greatly encourage.

Like us, he's dedicated to building a community of chefs across the company – bringing together the freshest ideas from the best culinary minds. He does it by organising regular craft forums and competitions, allowing chefs from all over Scotland to meet and develop their skills. The response has been fantastic and it just shows how important it is to keep the passion for great food burning inside our people. Alan Tonks is our Executive Chef for Scotland

Newsletter sign-up

Be the first to hear industry news.

Sign-up

Our latest news

Raymond Cavanagh, head chef at Glasgow Sheriff Court in Scotland, has beaten hundreds of chefs to win the Sodexo Ch ...

Foody feature

Corporate clients of Prestige Scotland had the chance to meet some of the company’s food and drink suppliers and taste their produce at a unique farmers’ market event this week.