Cardiff-based contract caterer, Cleverchefs, has won “Contract Caterer of the Year” at this year’s Public Sector Catering Awards.
The awards, which were held earlier this month at the Hilton London Metropole, are open to catering individuals, teams and companies operating in a public sector environment.
Founded in 2016 by Nick Collins, Cleverchefs is an innovative catering company, providing high-quality, nutritious food for the education, workplace and leisure sectors. It has grown from £2.7m in 2019 to £11.9m in 2023 and £16m sales this year, with a growing portfolio of 82 schools, three workplaces and two leisure sites.
The judges at the awards commended Cleverchefs on its innovative approach to catering in the education sector, as well its social value strategy, including its environmental influence.
Steps the caterer has implemented include reducing water consumption by introducing policies such as only passing dirty crockery through the dishwasher when a tray is full, the installation of knee-operated hand wash sinks that only dispense water when in use, only boiling water when needed, and steaming vegetables as opposed to boiling them on the stove.
The company has also adopted a holistic approach to food waste, meaning that every part of the vegetable is used whenever possible, and it has also introduced Root Cakes, where chefs use all the vegetable peelings from roast dinner day to make a nutritious cake that is lower in sugar and higher in fibre. Alongside this, all menus have been expanded to include more plant-based options, salads, and hot meals featuring protein, carbs, healthy fats and reduced sugar.
Cleverchefs was also recognised at the awards for its training initiative, TECH, an academy for bringing new talent through the business and giving them the skills they need.
Nick Collins, chief executive officer at Cleverchefs said of the win: “We are absolutely thrilled to win this award and gain recognition for our long-standing commitment to creating great food for the education sector. We believe that food quality directly correlates with academic performance and overall wellbeing, and it’s something we strive to achieve every day.”
Earlier this year, Cleverchefs also earned a place at the most recent Wales Fast Growth 50 Awards, claiming the Fastest Growing Business-to-Business Services Firm and the Fastest Growing Cardiff Firm accolades there too.
As well as its work in the education sector, Cleverchefs has also established partnerships with visitor attractions including the National Lido at Ynysangharad War Memorial Park in Pontypridd, and Dinton Pastures Country Park in Wokingham too.
