Star Pubs & Bars, the leased pub business of Heineken, is among the biggest investors in equipment right now thanks to a finely-tuned strategy created to help licensees develop their culinary offering. Food strategy and implementation manager, Luke Davies, is the man behind the plan and he has created a series of practical support tools…
POWER LIST 2016, KITCHEN INNOVATORS: Kevin Harper, Food Development Director, Greene King
Decisions about Greene King’s kitchen and catering offering are now being taken by a single department following its acquisition of the Spirit Pub Company — and at the head of it all is Kevin Harper. The Suffolk-based pub giant paid £774m to take over Spirit and create a 3,100-unit strong pub empire last year, and…
POWER LIST 2016, KITCHEN INNOVATORS: Norman MacKenzie, Executive Chef, Malhotra Group
With interests in property, care homes and leisure ventures, Newcastle-based Malhotra Group is one of the most diversified groups in the North East. Its project pipeline is bulging with new opportunities in the hospitality field, so much so that it created the role of ‘executive chef’ from scratch this year. Norman MacKenzie, a Craft Guild…
POWER LIST 2016, KITCHEN INNOVATORS: John Branagan, Group Chef Director, Living Ventures
Living Ventures runs some of the most exciting brands in the UK restaurant and bar market. The group counts brands such as Artisan, Blackhouse, Gusto and Red Door among a growing portfolio of 30-plus sites that, according to reports, generated sales north of £100m last year. Chef director, John Branagan, remains a loyal and important…
POWER LIST 2016, KITCHEN INNOVATORS: Martin Blunos, Executive Chef, Bespoke Hotels
Martin Blunos joined Bespoke Hotels earlier this year to run the kitchen of its newest relaunch, The Talbot Ripley, following a £1m renovation of the Surrey property. And, like any renowned chef, he has a clear vision on exactly what it needs to do to succeed. “To put it simply, we plan to serve real…
POWER LIST 2016, KITCHEN INNOVATORS: Fred Smith, Head of Food, Byron Hamburgers
Fred Smith is the architect behind the mouth-watering burgers that emerge from Byron’s kitchens and his creations are poised to reach a much larger audience following news that the burger chain is gearing up for a new round of expansion. It secured £12m in funding from two of its banking partners this summer and the…
POWER LIST 2016, KITCHEN INNOVATORS: Chris Knights, Group Executive Chef, Young & Co Brewery
Pub group Young’s, which also counts Geronimo Inns within its burgeoning estate, has completely transformed its kitchens in recent years in response to the more adventurous appetites of consumers. In doing so, the company, which numbers 250 pubs, has attained a market-leading position in a sector that is changing by the day. Sales were up…
POWER LIST 2016, KITCHEN INNOVATORS: Sean Kelly, Area Director Food & Beverage, Marriott International
Food and beverage sits at the very heart of what a major international hotel chain such as Marriott is about, which explains why Sean Kelly can comfortably claim to be one of the busiest chefs in the industry. He has worked at the hospitality giant for 17 years and in his current post he oversees…
POWER LIST 2016, KITCHEN INNOVATORS: Nick Vadis, Culinary Director, Compass Group
“No two days are the same. That creates a real buzz,” says Compass Group’s Nick Vadis, and when you consider the scale of the contract caterer’s business these days — £2 billion a year in the UK and counting — you can understand why. Compass proudly boasts that behind its foodservice offer is the wealth…
POWER LIST 2016, KITCHEN INNOVATORS: Simon Xavier, Executive Chef, Leisure Division, The Restaurant Group (TRG)
As the man who oversees menu development, kitchen design and kitchen operations within the leisure division of The Restaurant Group, Simon Xavier quite literally has his hands full. He spent the first decade of his career with TRG at flagship casual dining brand Frankie & Benny’s, playing his part from behind the pass as the…
