Prestige | For Foodies and Facilities Managers | Spring 2013

Prestige MAGAZINE FOR FOODIES AND FACILITIES MANAGERS

SPRING 2013

SCHUMACHER SODEXO AT THE AMERICAN GRAND PRIX

FLOWER POWER Behind the scenes at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show

Future of FAIRTRADE

Fairtrade’s Michael Gidney talks about the future of ethical trading

Quality of life services

When you outsource your services to Sodexo, you’ll join over one million people whose lives we enhance every day. As experts in Quality of Life services, we provide a range of facilities management services that will help you concentrate on what you do best. We quickly become key players in your team and our experience ensures that we’ll be talking your language in no time at all. In fact, we’re ready to talk to you today.

Call us now on 020 7404 0110 or visit us online at www.sodexo.com

SPRING 2013

contents 04. welcome From Chris John, managing director Sodexo Prestige & Corporate Services

05. life in the fast lane Sodexo Prestige helps cater for America's first F1 event

08. client focus: nokia Nokia reveals the key to a good FM relationship

10. The future of fairtrade An insight into how we are making tracks in Fairtrade

12. ideas in bloom Sodexo Prestige at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show

16. Where to next for fm?

The latest FM trends from across the Atlantic

18. everton fc A look behind the scenes at Everton Football Club

20. Ship's company HMS Belfast gets a new upper deck

22. strictly buying scottish Scotland Food and Drink gets radical with produce

24. miles above the rest Lounges get the luxury Sodexo Prestige treatment

26. good taste Interviews and recipes from our top chefs

32. Discover SODEXO Facts and figures from Sodexo Prestige and Corporate Services

34. 60 second interview Mark Parfait of Sodexo Prestige & Corporate Services

35. competition Win dinner for two on Bateaux London

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spring 2013

welcome I

t has been a long winter, but spring is finally here and the RHS Chelsea Flower Show is just around the corner.

It is the show's centenary year and we will be using our creative flair to make sure the food we offer at the event is extra special, with everything from a fine dining experience to remember through to a traditional afternoon tea.

We are very proud of our food heritage and we are fuelled by a passion for great food. Only recently, the menu our creative food director, Mark Parfait, devised for the Siemens Crystal in London won the premium staff dining category of the Menu Innovation and Development Awards 2013.

While food will always remain a core business, we are continuing to grow in non-food services and providing integrated facilities management solutions for our clients.

Being part of a global company allows us to pool our expertise and incorporate best practice. Late last year, we joined forces with our American colleagues to successfully deliver catering services for the first Formula 1 United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, as reported in this edition.

Chris John Managing Director, Sodexo Prestige & Corporate Services UK and Ireland sodexoprestige.co.uk

04 • PRESTIGE • spring 2013

Images courtesy of Audemars Piguet

SODEXO PRESTIGE AT f1 us

life in the fast lane Sodexo Prestige meets one of the world’s most famous racing drivers, the man who has won the Formula 1 World Championship seven times – the formidable Michael Schumacher

SODEXO PRESTIGE AT f1 us

or a man whose attitude to racing left his contemporaries cold, “As a racing driver it is your job to push things to the absolute limit", he once said, Michael Schumacher has now mellowed. While the characteristic self-assurance remains, this steely-eyed, strong-jawed man has evolved to be more humble, more human and more humorous even. At 44-years-old, it is no doubt an age thing.

It is also the product of three years spent familiarising himself with a word, which until recently he never really understood: losing. Ever since he was lured out of retirement in 2009, his passion for racing having been reignited the previous year when he was asked by Ferrari to stand in for an injured Felipe Massa, he has found himself routinely at the wrong end of the starting grid.

the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph Michael Schumacher, he paid more reverence to the quality of the field around him. “The new generation is much more prepared. Competition has gone to a higher level. There are lots of drivers now that know it’s not all about talent. It is about working with your team, maximising not just your own potential but the car’s potential, the team’s potential.”

F

Confident and quick-witted, Michael Schumacher exudes an aura belying his 5ft 8.5 inches height. He is poised and carries the swagger of a champion, a product of routinely being described as one of the greatest of all time, so where did things start going wrong? In October, Michael suggested it was the car. “It is without doubt that we did not achieve our goal to develop a world championship fighting car”, he told a press conference at Japan’s Suzuka Circuit. When I met him in Berlin a few weeks later, at the launch of 06 • PRESTIGE • spring 2013

With last year’s grid comprising six world champions and a depth of talent comparable to that of any era, making an impression on the leaderboard was always going to be difficult. Yet rather than ruing the talent of the stable mates that, as of this season, will replace him, Schumacher is happy to have heralded in a new age of motorsport. “I guess I have been a pioneer of the generation that is now here. In a way, I should be proud of this.”

“

The new generation are much more prepared. There are lots of drivers now that know it’s not all about talent

Reflecting on three challenging years, Schumacher has learnt a lot. “In life you can’t always be successful. It made me more mature; not more relaxed, but it taught me how to manage things better, to be more patient. My life in the last three years might not have been as successful as we wanted, but you have to look at the total. Can you be happy? Can you look into the mirror and say you’ve given it your all?

I can. And that’s what’s most important.”

behind the scenes at the US grand prix Built around a state-of-the-art 3.4-mile circuit track with capacity for 120,000 fans, the Circuit Of The Americas in Austin, Texas, was the first purpose-built Grand Prix facility in the US. In January 2012, Sodexo was selected as the official food and beverage services partner for the Circuit, including concessions, catering, hospitality and associated vendor management. The use of local vendors, such as Salt Lick BBQ and a food truck village, promoted an authentic Austin experience for circuit guests.

Sodexo’s unwavering support for the Austin community was evident from its support of local non-profit organisations. Thirty four local clubs and civic groups were invited to help staff certain concession areas around the track, generating a

2.2

million lbs. of ice was provided over the race weekend

portion of sales for their organisations. Sodexo gave more than $142,000 back to the community after the Grand Prix through this initiative, in line with its commitment to support the development of local communities as part of its sustainability strategy to 2020, the Better Tomorrow Plan.

Sodexo Prestige’s UK sports and leisure team drew on experience of catering for events such as Royal Ascot to support its US colleagues to create the offer and deliver the event. Steve Sexton, President of Circuit of The Americas was more than impressed. “Their team fully understands the need to host and entertain an international audience to exceed expectations. The global capability of Sodexo influenced by unique flavours of our region provided fans with a memorable experience.”

total weight of recycled materials is equal to formula 1 race cars

47

32,736

gallons of beer was on hand

“ Photography © David Acosta Allely / Natursports / Max Earey / cjmac / Shutterstock.com

When I stopped, I was not intending to come back.

During that time I enjoyed my freedom and the life I had

In a career littered with chequered flags and circuit records, what moments constitute highlights? “After more than 20 years in the sport, it’s not possible to pick one. The biggest achievement, and the one that meant most to me, however, was the one we did in 2000, winning the Championship with Ferrari after they had not done so for so long. Teamwork is important to me. I’ve never seen myself as a single person in achieving all of these things. I’ve always done so as part of a team.”

If it were up to him, though, how would Michael like to be thought of? “The first thing I am is a racing driver. Once a racing driver, always a racing driver. That is what I stand for. [I’d like] to be known for giving 100 per cent and for fighting to the end.”

Schumacher managed to qualify within the top five on the grid seven times in 2012. Had he not been forced to retire the same amount of times, he would almost certainly have finished ahead of teammate Rosberg in the driver standings.

Michael is now retired and leaves a legacy behind him. For the champion himself, what next? “Will I continue in the racing scene? There is a very clear answer: no.

And there is a very simple reason: Formula 1 is the pinnacle of motorsport. There is nothing better, nothing quicker, nothing, other than go-karting, more individual to your needs. It’s about what you do with your team and how you maximise your machine. That is what is so fascinating about this world: development. No other arena would be able to offer me that.”

greatest driver the sport has ever seen" and in 2010 his personal fortune was estimated at £515million. Off the track, Michael is generous with his time and money and is an ambassador for UNESCO and a spokesman for driver safety. He has been involved in numerous humanitarian efforts throughout his life and donated tens of millions of dollars to charity, including a donation of $10million for aid after the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake.

Michael Schumacher was speaking at the launch of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Michael Schumacher Chronograph.

According to the official Formula One website Michael is "statistically the 07

client focus: Nokia

GOOD foundations In October 2012, Sodexo became the global provider of an integrated facilities management solution for Nokia across 55 countries. We look at how the relationship has developed

Paula Cardy, european account director, Sodexo International Large Accounts:

“

We provide all soft services such as catering, mailroom, cleaning, and hard services like lift operation and maintenance. I pride myself on having an open and trusting relationship with Nokia and we have delivered significant savings globally and are on target to deliver more over the next two years.”

08 • PRESTIGE • spring 2013

location, with the legal entities, with the right planning, there are complexities associated with that.

Q The global contract started in October

simon francis security & workplace resources regional director, Europe imon Francis, Nokia’s Security & Workplace Resources regional director, Europe, is based at Nokia’s cutting edge offices at Two Kingdom Street, London.

S

Q How important is FM to Nokia?

Having a good FM service model allows me to focus on the strategic side of the business. From the business’s perspective, of course, it is all about comfort, wellbeing and being able to get on with the day job.

Q What are the drivers for outsourcing

in the market generally?

Firstly, handing over responsibility to the experts for non core FM activities (Sodexo provides all soft and hard FM services to Nokia except for reception and security, which are currently in-house).

Secondly, allowing the in-house team to focus on strategic activities and thirdly, creating better flexibility and management of cost.

Q Why did the company decide to choose Sodexo as its one supplier for IFM? The decision to go with Sodexo was established through a comprehensive tender process driven by Mike Dawson, Europe regional head of operations for Security and Workplace Resources, who was instrumental in establishing site profiling, service levels and cost. Mike’s expertise along with Sodexo’s service capabilities make for a compelling partnership.

Q What are the challenges of opting for

one IFM supplier globally?

Ultimately you have all your eggs in one basket so you have got a bit of a risk there, but with appropriate due diligence you can appreciate that it’s a small risk!

Then there are the same challenges that you have with any service contract, getting the right contracts in the right

last year – how is it working?

The relationship piece has been there a long time. Paula [Cardy, European account director, Sodexo International Large Accounts] and I have worked together for four years now - albeit, previously, it was under a managing agent contract.

So that certainly assisted in terms of the transition: we were already familiar with the services, the people and that made it nice and smooth.

Q How do you measure performance?

Obviously there are key performance indicators for all services. But in a way success is measured by ‘no news is good news’. It is only when staff say nothing that we know that everything is going well. People tend to be quite vocal and emotive about FM service delivery, so no news is good news. We also have balanced scorecard indicators which align with the objectives of Security and Workplace Resources to deliver ‘over and above business as usual’ strategic projects.

Q What makes a good IFM partner?

A good service provider manages their relationships well with their client i.e. with me and my team, but also their broader client base which is my client base as well.

So I guess sharing in our endeavours and relationships is what it is all about. If you have a good relationship with your client and the end user, you know what their expectations are, you know what their requirements are, and you can deliver.

We have a good working relationship with Sodexo. We trust Sodexo: it is a partnership.

Q How

important are brand synergies on issues like, for example, sustainability and wellbeing?

Hugely so, sustainability is something that is important from our perspective. In terms of CSR, it is something that we actively and openly publicise to our broader clients, the user of the Nokia product, network operators, and the business and the industry in general.

Wellbeing is an interesting one. I guess a lot of what we do is probably more advanced than some corporates in terms of the services that we provide that you could associate with the wellbeing factor, like our restaurant facility. We are in the heart of London surrounded by good services so you could argue is there really a need? Well yes, there is, because it gives us control over what’s being served and how it is

being served. There are obviously healthy food offers and the added value from our perspective is that it keeps the business together and us communicating on an informal as well as a formal basis.

Q You have an Integrated Service Point (ISP) here which is like a concierge service for your staff in London. Is it a driver for productivity?

Oh yes absolutely, it takes the headache out of people’s daily lives. For the guys who run the ISP, nothing is too much trouble.

You can say, “Guys, I need you to do some research on my wife’s Christmas present”.

They will do that. They will address that. It is a "can do" attitude.

Q How does catering sit within IFM? In terms of food service, we have never lavished on our senior executives. There are occasions when we do need to provide hospitality, but Sodexo is able to provide that bespoke service as and when required.

Certainly from my experience over last Christmas, the catering team took great pleasure in delivering us their best, finest and greatest dishes, and nine times out of ten I would rather eat their food than anything from a Michelin star restaurant, so I think that shows that the company ability is there, it is just whether we, as an organisation, choose to utilise it.

Q Are there different demands in terms of IFM depending on the country?

Absolutely, we have a very diverse portfolio.

We are responsible for offices, factories, R&D, sales and marketing staff across different geographies. There are cultural variations say between the Asia-Pacific; India, Middle East and Africa region; Europe; and the Americas to an extent. Sodexo is only too aware of what those cultural variations mean in terms of service delivery.

Sodexo has to be mindful of that. It has a global presence, it has experience, and can map its service delivery appropriately.

Q Do you think that more international companies will go down the IFM outsourcing route, like Nokia, in the current economic climate?

I think that it is unique to major global corporates, I don’t think it works for SMEs or smaller necessarily. It makes sense to us and it gives us more flexibility in terms of service delivery, a great deal more cost control, we are able to see our cost for the term of the contract for the most part, and I think that is what it is all about. Companies want to be able to secure the bottom line and real estate FM is a reasonable percentage of a company’s cost base.

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fairtrade

the future of fairtrade Ethical suppliers such as Fairtrade are benefiting from the increasing importance of provenance and awareness around sustainability.

Sodexo Prestige talks to Michael Gidney, chief executive of the Fairtrade Foundation to find out why this is important

10 • PRESTIGE • spring 2013

sodexo is now serving fairtrade certified loose and cubed sugar at its restaurants and cafÉs in the uk

929 sodexo fairtrade has171products sodexo tonnes of buys393loose and cubed fairtrade sugar each year

James Bennett, Head of Brand and Out of Home at Fairtrade Foundation:

“

Sales of Fairtrade products grow yearly as we work together to deliver Sodexo’s Better Tomorrow Plan. In 2012 Sodexo switched to 100% Fairtrade sugar in partnership with Tate & Lyle – supporting sugar cane growers in areas like Belize. In 2013 we are asking businesses and consumers to go further for Fairtrade and encourage Sodexo and its partners to continue changing the lives of farmers”.

sodexo's fairtrade products have a value of

£2.5m

uying food, especially on a corporate scale, has always been down to cost, but for the first time, this seems to be changing.

Sodexo now sells 171 Fairtrade products with an annual value of £2.5 million, which includes coffee, tea, fruit, confectionery, wine and snacks. These guarantee fairer conditions to help disadvantaged producers tackle poverty and invest in a better, more stable future.

b

In 2012 Sodexo switched its loose and cubed sugar to 100% Fairtrade in partnership with Tate & Lyle; supporting sugar cane growers in areas like Belize. It’s changes like this that can have a real impact on lives, and the food system, explains chief executive of the Fairtrade Foundation Michael Gidney. “An unsustainable food system affects us all, but none more so than farmers and workers in developing countries who have to tackle a triple whammy of global economic downturn, the impact of climate change and a long history of poor prices and under-investment in their farms. Unless the major players in these commodities actively invest in sustainable supply chains and balance their social and environmental as well as their economic performance, there is a very real risk of

supply shortages on the horizon in some of the everyday food categories we all take for granted,” he says.

The effects of investing in a sustainable food chain are immediate and tangible. Sodexo Prestige only uses Fairtrade bananas, which has had a ripple effect on Dominican Republic banana producer group Asobanu. More staff have been employed, including two technicians and a bookkeeper, salaries considerably improved and renovated packing stations on 70 farms means they now adhere to European supermarket standards. Banana farmer Jose Miguel Peralta Castellano has been astonished by the changes in his community. “In my life, you know, I never thought that an organisation as important as Fairtrade could exist. For us small producers, we are very committed to Fairtrade, we hope it will continue making progress; it is our means of survival here in the Dominican Republic.”

Gidney is aware that asking companies to take on more challenges, and potentially to pay more through their supply chain, is never easy – particularly during a recession, but sees the growing public support for Fairtrade as a signal that people want companies to do more.

RHS chelsea flower show centenary

Ideas in bloom As an official caterer for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show for more than 30 years, Sodexo Prestige has become an expert in providing a service that delights and surprises, year on year.

We look behind the scenes of Britain's favourite flower show

12 • PRESTIGE • spring 2013

Chelsea location, glamorous guests and fantastic food, there is always excitement in the run up to the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Chelsea Flower Show. Sodexo Prestige has been catering for the event for more than 30 years. Last year, the show attracted over 161,000 people, including celebrities and VIPs. This year’s show (May 21-25) will be particularly special because the world’s most famous horticultural event is celebrating its 100th anniversary.

Perrier Champagne Lounge. The food on offer is very diverse - everything from fine dining to sandwiches and fish and chips.

The 2013 show will celebrate garden design over the past 100 years. It will capture the design trends and themes

The Rock Bank Restaurant will have a vintage look and feel with pictures featuring shows from the past on display. This

a

“

This year, a celebratory centenary afternoon tea will be served daily at the LaurentPerrier Champagne Lounge comprising a glass of Champagne, a selection of sandwiches, handmade cakes and a wide selection of teas, plus the freshest English strawberries served with lavender cream, shortbread and honeycomb.

we cater for a large social demographic and aim to provide the widest choice possible so there is something for everyone

PHOTOGRAPHY © RHS

of RHS Chelsea Flower shows past and present, to demonstrate that, although design has evolved, many trends have stood the test of time.

Each day around 50,000 people attend the show, which takes place in the grounds of The Royal Hospital Chelsea. Sodexo Prestige caters for around 60% of them at public retail courts, two restaurants (Rock Bank and the Champagne and seafood restaurant, in partnership with Caviar House & Prunier) and also the Laurent-

year’s exciting signature dishes, created by Sodexo Prestige’s show executive chef Tom Parry, include: Rhug Estate organic chicken liver parfait, Kentish berries, pickled beets and nut wafer; roasted fillet of English beef, dauphinoise potatoes, peas, piquillo pepper, young carrots and port sauce; and Norfolk cream liqueur parfait caramel and Littleover Apiaries’ English honey oat crunch.

The place to be seen is the Gala evening, catered by Sodexo Prestige, which this year will take place on Monday, May 20. > 13

Facts & figures the first royal horticultural society great spring show was held in 1862 during wwii the area was an antiaircraft site

600

nearly plants have been launched at Chelsea in the past eight years

16,358

cakes, pastries, muffins and cookies were eaten last year

34,976

hot drinks were consumed, including tea, coffee and speciality coffees

14,607

sandwiches were ordered

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“

each year we raise the bar with regard to the style and quality of the food we provide

Between 7pm and 9pm, Sodexo Prestige will serve Champagne and canapés to around 5,000 VIP Gala guests. This year’s canapés will include: smoked apple wood parfait, fruit jelly, toasted walnut bread; English asparagus, yellow peppers, tapenade; and Scottish duck mousse, fig, bagel.

At around 9pm, half of the guests depart and the remainder go on to private dinners at the show restaurants. Sodexo Prestige staff, which number nearly 3,000 for the whole event, are on hand to ensure the evening, which ends around midnight, goes perfectly. Then the team has a little over six hours to turn around every operation ready for the first guests’ arrival the following day, the official opening day, from 8am.

Alex Beaumont, head of Events, Sodexo Prestige, said: “We cater for a large social demographic and aim to provide the widest choice possible so there is something for everyone. Each year, we raise the bar with regard to the style and quality of the food we provide. We are determined to do our bit on the catering front to ensure the show’s 100th anniversary will be extra special for all gardeners and garden-lovers.”

The show takes place from 21 May 2013 to 25 May 2013 at Royal Hospital Chelsea, Royal Hospital Road, Chelsea, London, SW3 4SR. For more information visit: www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events/chelsea

horticulture

Green fingers They say that a natural working environment is good for your health. Sodexo has been offering leading horticultural services to a host of organisations from corporate businesses to housing associations for more than 40 years ature is key to a happy and efficient workforce. For clients who are aware of this fact, Sodexo has the knowledge and experience to make green dreams a reality.

n

We talk to Nigel Payne, Sodexo's operations director for Horticultural Services, a trained gardener, whose favourite flower is rudbeckia. Nigel has worked for Sodexo for 15 years.

“At Sodexo, we take a holistic approach.

It is widely acknowledged that physical exercise, fresh air and being in a natural green environment can lift spirits, inspire and motivate. By creating inviting and natural spaces indoors and outdoors we believe that we can make a difference to the wellbeing of all", says Nigel.

Sodexo provides horticultural services to many company headquarters and regional offices where maintained and landscaped grounds help make that all important first impression. “The services we offer enhance the presentation of clients’ premises and strengthen their professional reputation,” states Nigel, “Our focus is on creating environments where businesses can flourish and grow.

“Caring for the environment is at the heart. Our approach is to minimise C02 emissions, reduce the use of chemicals and deliver green waste recycling.”

Nigel attributes the success of the business to its people. In recent years, there has been strong investment in training and development including apprenticeships and a new skills programme. That Sodexo won employer of the year at the British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI) Awards last year is testimony to the success of the approach.

Nigel points out that, “We have invested heavily in creating a defined learning pathway for all our staff. Without their skill and commitment we would not be able to provide the high level of service we have become known for.”

Horticultural Services team members will be taking clients to the centenary RHS Chelsea Flower Show this year.

“It is always inspiring to see the most innovative design thinking - there is always something to take away for professionals and amateur gardeners", says Nigel.

With more than 40 years of experience, Sodexo provides horticultural services to around 1,000 client locations across the UK and Ireland, including local authorities, housing associations, corporate businesses, schools and hospitals.

nigel payne operations director for horticultural services nigel's gardening tips Hold off planting annual bedding plants to the end of May to avoid damage from cold weather.

Remember this saying to help: "The last day in May the frost is away" Apply a ‘weed and feed’ to your lawn for a lush summer green lawn Sow your pumpkin seeds in May to have pumpkins for Halloween

15

fm industry trends

where to next for fm?

This latest Sodexo report from across the Atlantic highlights the new needs and opportunities for facilities management, comments i-FM editor Elliott Chase

elliott chase editor of i-FM To access the full reports join Sodexo Prestige 'Adapting to a Changing Environment’ group on LinkedIn by scanning the QR code.

16 • PRESTIGE • spring 2013

e’ve come to look forward to the publication of the annual Sodexo US Workplace Trends Report. The most recent doesn’t disappoint, raising a whole series of issues that resonate with long-time observers and commentators on the FM scene.

w

The 2013 Sodexo Report identifies a dozen trends impacting what Michael Norris, COO and market president, Sodexo in the US, calls the ‘new normal’ of a workplace where volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity are part of ‘the daily grind’.

Of course, the office has always been a place of change – just think of how far we’ve come from the early 20th century Taylorist landscape of identical desks rigidly marshalled into rows readily scanned by an all-powerful supervisor, or even the only slightly more flexible approach we see in the ‘60s-set TV drama

“

In today’s workplace, facilities management needs to be more strategic and less tactical, adding more value to the corporate enterprise and rising above its traditional reactive positioning. That will remain a challenge for the foreseeable future, too, because – generally speaking – FM is finding the transition a difficult one to make. More strategic, less tactical often proves easier to say than to do.

But we see a considerable opportunity lying behind the trends highlighted in this report. Things are changing in the workplace faster than ever. Helping people learn to work, or how best to work, in an environment where the work, the workplace, the technology and the location are subject to change, is vitally important.

Equally important is educating the organisation about what is possible and how doing things differently could bring benefits to the business. Who better to take a lead here than facilities management, drawing

The workplace is now a key tool for supporting work, for shaping the experiences of the workforce, and for producing competitive advantage

Mad Men. The management culture that underpinned both of those environments was largely the same. But much of the reality behind that culture has gone out the window in recent years.

Today, as Michael Norris says: “The workplace, and the environment it creates, is now a key tool for supporting work, for shaping the experiences of the workforce, and for producing competitive advantage.

Facilities management has evolved and is simply no longer about just managing the facility, but rather it’s now about engaging and enabling people to be productive, and creating value for the organisation.”

This is a world in which over 80% of the Millennial Generation say they would consider leaving an employer whose values fall short of their expectations.

And, as the research shows, that sort of interest in CSR is not unique to the youngest people in the office.

together the various strands of interest from HR, IT and corporate real estate, and acting as the ‘glue’ in a coherent programme of change?

Amongst the important insights and learnings in the Workplace Trends Report is the ‘bigger picture’ stuff for facilities management. There are messages and lessons here that point towards the need for FM to move quickly to raise its game, as well as the opportunities that could flow from that for both the discipline and the organisations in which it operates.

We’ll be watching closely to see how effectively this call for change is taken on board.

Elliott Chase is editor of i-FM, the award-winning news and information service for the facilities management sector.

UK follows US in outsourcing The UK public sector is now the world's largest outsourcing market outside of the United States, according to new research from market intelligence firm Information Services Group. ISG’s latest EMEA TPI Index, which covers commercial outsourcing contracts with an annual value of €4 million or more, shows the public sector in the UK increased 16% in contract value in 2012 as the government embraced outsourcing as part of its focus on cost reduction.

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Everton football club

Beautiful game the

Denise Barrett-Baxendale, chief operating officer, Everton Football Club, chief executive officer, Everton in the Community, takes us behind the scenes at Everton Football Club Q Tell us a little about your role My role encompasses directing stadium operations and maintenance, stadium safety and security, human resources, information systems and services, Lotteries, Everton in the Community and Everton Free School.

denise barret-baxendale

chief operating officer at everton football club

Q What are the key elements in match day catering?

Providing seasonal members and individual match day guests with an experience and value for money. We ensure they're welcome and food and beverages, atmosphere, staff and facilities are of the highest quality.

Q How important are non-match day events to the Club?

Non-match-day events obviously generate additional revenue and are another great way of introducing people, who might not necessarily have been to a game, to the match day experience.

Last summer we refurbished and subsequently rebranded a number of lounges that are now being increasingly used on non-match days. This has helped showcase the flexibility of the facilities for conferences, private functions, off-site meetings, and increased interest in match day hospitality.

Although Sodexo Prestige has its own nonmatch day sales team, the Club’s corporate sales team are working closely with them

18 • PRESTIGE • spring 2013

to ensure corporate members are aware of non-match day events/capabilities and help generate more business.

Q What do you value in your relationship with Sodexo Prestige?

Sodexo Prestige listen and take everything on board to help create the best possible customer experience – it is a partnership rather than a client-service provider arrangement. Look at the results of the recent Premier League Fan Survey to see the success of the relationship.

This season the Club was ranked second out of the 20 Premier League clubs for the best corporate sales staff, which includes food, service and the overall hospitality experience, an achievement which the Club and Sodexo should be proud of. Additionally, the chefs who work in our premier lounge, the Dixie Dean, recently won the gold medal in the Major International Contract Catering/Football Stadia award category at the Salon Culinaire competition, again demonstrating the commitment of everyone involved with ensuring we live up to the Club’s motto, Nil Satis Nisi Optimum “Nothing but the best”.

Q What are your plans for the future at the Club?

Work closely with Sodexo Prestige to continue to create an enriched and memorable customer experience.

Sodexo Prestige provides match day, non-match day catering, hospitality, event sales and marketing services at Everton Football Club

weddings booked at 24 the stadium so far this year

1,200

conferences each year

4,200

pints served at each match

34,000

100

glasses of champagne served annually

private parties each year

1,600

1,550

covers served last christmas at the venue

meals served on match day

Left to right: Chefs Darren Ryder and Antony Smith proudly hold their trophy plates as winners at The Hospitality Show Salon Culinaire competition

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hms belfast

SHIP'S COMPANY Imperial War Museums and Sodexo Prestige have launched a cafe and rooftop wine bar for HMS Belfast where visitors can enjoy breathtaking views of the City of London accompanied by fabulous food and wine Head down to HMS Belfast in May between 5-7pm with this voucher to receive a complimentary sharing platter with your first bottle of wine.

Complimentary sharing platter with first bottle of wine To celebrate the opening of the new cafe bar at HMS Belfast we would like to offer guests a complimentary sharing platter with the first bottle of wine purchased* Quote 'Summer Party' at time of ordering to redeem offer. * Subject to availability and not in conjunction with any other offer.

Only valid for orders placed between 5pm - 7pm until 31st May 2013.

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hms belfast was chosen as a 'capital of cool' venue on the water, 2013

GET ON BOARD HMS Belfast, part of Imperial War Museums, tells the stories of life on board this warship during the Second World War and beyond. Explore the interactive Operations Room, hear veterans’ stories in the Life at Sea exhibition, and immerse yourself in the midst of a battle in the Gun Turret Experience.

VIEWS 360DEGREE 75th OF LONDON SEATS DINERS AND IS UP TO 24 AVAILABLE FOR HIRE

anniversary of the 1938 british launch

With 360 degree views of London and authentically decorated rooms, each with their own individual characteristics, this is a unique venue, with many options for events - dine in the Officer’s Mess, climb a gun turret or watch the sunset on the Quarterdeck with a glass of Champagne.

Weddings, private parties and corporate events are organised by Sodexo Prestige.

pring 2013 marks the opening of the much anticipated cafe and bar at HMS Belfast, on the bank of the River Thames. The cafe offers an exciting new shop and ground floor coffee bar, as well as a striking new look entrance, access for groups and corporate clients. The redevelopment is one of a number of long-term improvements being made to the ship, which saw action in both the Second World War and the Korean War.

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In late May the museum and Sodexo Prestige will also launch a chic rooftop bar, providing visitors with spectacular views of HMS Belfast and London landmarks, including Tower Bridge, the Tower of London and City Hall. Inspired directly by liners of its era, the bar's attractive look and unique location overlooking the ship and Tower Bridge is set to become a seriously social destination.

Phil Reed, director of HMS Belfast says, "We are thrilled to be launching the cafe which we believe will give HMS Belfast the support she needs to continue to be a high profile, cultural destination. As well as enhancing the area's aesthetic appeal, the new cafe will help Imperial War Museums to ensure that HMS Belfast is in the best possible position to generate the funds needed to preserve the historic ship and ensure its long term financial sustainability.”

Open all week from 8am to 10pm, visitors can enjoy delicious dishes created by Sodexo Prestige including a British cheese board, European cured meats board, HMS Belfast pickles and artisan breads and a fish board of Formans of London cured salmon, gin gravadlax and Brixham crab sandwich.

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scotland food & drink

Strictly buying scottish Scotland Food & Drink is influencing purchasing behaviour, having a powerful effect on the produce industry. Sophie Fraser, communications and marketing manager at Scotland Food & Drink tells us more cotland is blessed with a fantastic larder of some of the best natural produce in the world. With a longstanding reputation for producing quality products and an envied flair for innovation, our food and drink companies should be exploiting the very values that our country stands for - beautiful unspoilt landscapes, fertile land and clean air.

fishing, skills, research and public agencies.

It is Scotland Food & Drink's job to guide the industry so we can make the most of our natural resources, people skills and businesses operating across the supply chain. To achieve a sustainable and profitable food and drink industry that is consumer-focused, market-led and internationally competitive we must work hard to reach those strategic goals.

A not-for-profit organisation established in 2007, we were created to guide food and drink companies of all sizes towards increased profitability. Our vision is to make Scotland internationally known as a Land of Food and Drink and grow our industry to the value of £12.5 billion by 2017. It's an ambitious goal but one that can be achieved if the industry works together, pools resources and knowledge and uses the Scotland Food & Drink brand to the best possible advantage.

Exploiting premium markets both in the UK and internationally, making our supply chain more effective, encouraging collaboration through communication and striving to improve the high level of skills within the food and drink industry have never been more important.

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sophie fraser

communications and marketing manager at scotland food & drink www.scotlandfoodanddrink.org

By bringing everyone together to discuss successes, problems and ideas, we can harness the resources of one of Scotland's most successful and important industries.

We are committed to supporting the industry to serve the needs of discerning consumers by supplying the best of our country’s food and drink throughout Scotland, across the UK and around the world. We work closely with industry stakeholders and share best practice across the board including agriculture, 22 • PRESTIGE • spring 2013

Led by the industry itself, Scotland Food & Drink shows you how to gain access to a wide range of services and benefits specifically designed to help you grow your business. We also offer expert advice and support in areas ranging from accessing new markets for your products, new product development and skills and training to marketing, PR and legislation.

In addition, there's a targeted programme of exclusive industry events plus a comprehensive daily online news service ensuring that you are kept up-to-date with everything that's happening in the Scottish food and drink industry.

sodexo Prestige in scotland Sodexo Prestige was chosen to cater at The Scotland Food & Drink Excellence Awards, taking place on 30 May at the Assembly Rooms in Edinburgh, which ran in partnership with the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland. In total, 17 awards recognise excellence in products and businesses across a diverse range of areas including skills, research and sustainability.

Scotland Food & Drink chief executive James Withers, says, "Sodexo has a strong working relationship with us, having been involved in our activities since our creation. We have collaborated on a range of projects including Meet the Buyer opportunities

where businesses present their products and supplier prospects can be progressed. Sodexo's participation with our organisation demonstrates not only its commitment to the industry but also a willingness to nurture business relationships and help in the effort to build Scotland's reputation as a Land of Food and Drink. “Next year will see an unparalleled opportunity to promote Scotland and we are discussing potential ways in which we can work together on events including the Commonwealth Games. We look forward to building our relationship still further as Sodexo cater the Scotland Food & Drink Excellence Awards in May."

sodexo suppliers in scotland rannoch smokery Smoked Gressingham duck breasts, smoked Angus Beef and Scottish Venison

ardersier, inverness connage cheese company

peterhead farmed shetland salmon

inverawe smokehouse Cold Smoked Loch Etive trout

perthshire game and seasonal soft fruits angus seasonal soft fruits

ayrshire barway cheddar and "robertson's of ayr" pork

edinburgh stewart brewery bottled beers

campbell bros buccleuch beef from southern scotland

isle of arran tase of arran products

Arran mist and Arran blue, cows' milk cheese, Wooleys Oatcakes, Traditional style oatcake from family bakery, Arran Ice Cream, Arran Grain Mustard

lanark Humphrey Erringtons Cheese's

Lanark blue, Dunsyre Blue, Lanark White and Maisie's Kebuch using ewes and cows' milks

scottish borders game

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miles above the rest

miles above the rest As frequent flier expectations soar, airport lounges are trying harder to beat the competition. Sodexo Prestige takes a look at how its luxury lounge services measure up

Malaysia Airlines lounge, Heathrow, operated by Sodexo Prestige

aving lunch at a luxurious new airport lounge can involve a little toasted sandwich and a quinoa salad from an ample buffet, with a minty iced tea, followed by a relaxing rest in a private nook with an iPad that you can borrow from front desk. This is fast becoming a familiar scene, as high-revenue and low-revenue air travel passengers continue to polarise and mounting complaints from business travellers about crowded conditions in lounges are encouraging operators, such as credit card companies, to move into the space of operating airport lounges.

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With this increased competition, airlines must continue to raise standards. Sodexo Prestige has proved its worth in this business environment and is providing first and business class hospitality services to the 40,000 passengers who pass through the Golden Lounge each year. Malaysian Airlines has also worked with Sodexo Prestige chefs, John-Somrit Cherdchuwickhaikon, and Glenn Miller, to help them master the art of Far Eastern cuisine, which will be served to the airline's first class and business class lounge passengers.

Sodexo operates a portfolio of more than 70 airport and airline services across the world. In 2009, Virgin Atlantic Upper Class started outsourcing to Sodexo, a partnership which now looks after 520,000 passengers across Nine Clubhouses and one Arrivals Lounge in three different countries for 365 days a year. Virgin Atlantic has made Sodexo Prestige its global strategic partner and awarded them a contract extension to November 2016.

Menu presentations are made to Virgin Atlantic once a quarter and are designed for all tastes. From comfort foods such as burgers and curries, to more sophisticated dishes such as panfried salmon fillet on a fennel, orange and pine nut salad; the food is modern, seasonal and fresh. Once selected, training videos are made of the dishes being prepared by Sodexo Prestige’s finest chefs, which are then uploaded on to YouTube to allow Clubhouse chefs around the world to deliver excellence and continuity. It seems to be working as a recent guest will testify, describing his steak as “cooked to perfection”. That guest was world-class chef Michel Roux Sr. It's differences like these that will make an airport lounge stand out in this ever crowded marketplace. The Virgin Atlantic 'Clubhouse' at Heathrow Airport, London has two bars, spa (massages and facial treatments), hairstylists, Wi-Fi, restaurant, business suite (partitioned workstations, power outlets, laptops, printing) and many other facilities for its elite passengers.

Lounges around the world are providing more and more luxury features. For exhausted VIPs, the Madrid Barajas lounge has beds and mountain views. Transparent bubble chairs hang from the ceiling at the Amsterdam Schiphol Airport VIP lounge, like a trip to the future. There is a fireplace to cosy up in front of during the cold months and a Light Energy booth to re-energise on cloudy days.

Sodexo executive chef Glynn Lawrence at the Malaysia Airlines lounge at Heathrow Airport

flying with SODEXO

Services we provide and airlines we serve internationally

Sodexo's lounges are a peaceful haven where customers can escape the busy stressful airport environment. Our clients and services include: Virgin Atlantic – Heathrow and Gatwick plus five US cities, South Africa and Hong Kong (Airport lounges, food, beverages, bars, executive dining, restaurant style service with highly trained staff) Emirates First Class lounge – Gatwick Airport (Host service with hot and cold food in the style of a first class hotel) American Airlines – 23 cities, 36 clubs (Admirals Clubs and Flagship. Lounges: food, liquor, catering, conference services, consulting) United Airlines – 14 cities, 21 clubs (Red Carpet Clubs, First Class Clubs, International Clubs, food liquor, catering, executive dining, vending, rooms management)

Air Canada – four cities, eight clubs (Lounge operations including food, liquor, catering, conference services and housekeeping) IAG Head Office – Heathrow (Staff café services, vending, housekeeping and hospitality for head office workers) Malaysia Airlines – Heathrow (Full bar service, buffet selection of hot and cold dishes, a la carte menu for first class passengers)

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airport and airline services across the world

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good taste

GoodTaste passion for food

Three top Sodexo Prestige chefs go under the spotlight, sharing their passion for cooking and some of the freshest recipes to try out this Spring

Q Congratulations on your award – what does it represent to you?

It's a great achievement and one that I am very proud of when you consider some of the talent I was up against in the final. It represents what I want to keep striving for, for myself and the company.

tony stuart Chef at Shearman and Sterling LLP winner of sodexo chef of the year

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Q Did you always want to be a chef?

Yes. I started cooking when I was about 14 years old at school and from 16 years old I started to work in kitchens part time while at Westminster Kingsway College. From there I worked my way up through a mix of restaurant and contract client dining. My last position before Sodexo was at Rotunda, Kings Place where I was Jnr Sous.

Q What do you most enjoy about cooking at Shearman & Sterling LLP? The diversity of business.

Q What sort of dishes do you most enjoy cooking?

I would say that my dishes have a strong British influence, while using a few new cooking techniques. I'm a strong believer in using quality seasonal ingredients and not overcomplicating things. Letting the produce speak for itself is important and it’s the way I go about creating dishes.

Q Aside from cooking, what are you most passionate about?

Football and music.

STARTER duck egg ravioli

with rabbit loin confit, wild mushrooms and pea veloute SERVES 1 Ingredients For the ravioli l 125g flour l 75g egg yolk l 8ml olive oil l 8ml water l 1 egg yolk - pasta sealing l 4 duck eggs l 2 rabbit loins l 200g shelled broad beans l 100g peas - garnish l 1 punnet of pea shoots l 25g wild mushrooms

For the veloute l 1 banana shallot l ½ garlic clove l 100ml white wine l 250ml chicken stock l 500ml double cream l 300g peas

METHOD For the ravioli 1. Combine the flour, egg yolk, olive oil and water to make the pasta, leave to rest.

2. Sweat the sliced shallot and garlic in a pan until soft, add the white wine, reduce by ½ and repeat process with the chicken stock.

3. Add the double cream, bring to the boil and add the peas, simmer for 5 mins and blend.

4. Roll out the pasta until it is slightly transparent and cut four 8 cm round discs and four 10 cm round.

5. Crack the duck eggs in a tray, lay out the smaller circles of pasta, separate the duck yolk and place onto the pasta and repeat the process. Egg wash the duck yolk and press on the other pasta circle.

6. Cook the rabbit and wild mushrooms 4-5 mins, leave to rest, heat the broad bean and pea garnish in butter, heat the veloute and boil the ravioli for 2 ½ mins.

good taste

gareth billington Head Chef at Everton FC winner of the star award's unit chef of the year

Q Many congratulations on your win – what does this mean to you?

Quite simply, it’s the highlight of my career so far. As well as the catering for Goodison Park I was off-site a lot this year catering for events such as Royal Ascot, the Olympics archery competition at Lord’s and for the Paralympic competitors at the Olympic stadium in London – and that’s why I won, because of the diversity of my work this year. I was stunned and incredibly honoured to win Unit Chef of the Year but I know I am one of a team of people and could never have won it without them – they’re all incredible.

Q Tell us a bit about your background did you always want to be a chef?

Yes, from the age of 13 all I ever wanted to do was cook. I started off washing dishes in restaurants before being trained at The Garrick Club in London and since then I’ve cooked in some of the most luxurious destinations in the world. I was patissière on the QE2 for two years, which was great except you never got a day off, and from there I went to the Mermaid Warwick Beach Club hotel in Bermuda as chef de partie and even had my own restaurant in A Galeria in Portugal.

Q What do you love most about cooking at Everton?

I love that the club has great links with local schools and colleges as I’m totally committed to training young people to be the chefs of the future. It’s also enabled

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me to cook for a whole host of famous people, from footballers to Hollywood legend Sylvester Stallone – although I love my non-celebrity customers too, especially their Scouse humour. On a daily basis, it’s great to have access to such a huge variety of locally produced fresh ingredients as this is what really influences and inspires me.

Q What sort of dishes do you most enjoy cooking?

I think my dishes are best described as modern British with quite a lot of experimental twists. I like to take dishes we know and love and present them differently, for example, take scrambled eggs on toast. I would make that as a dessert using toasted brioche, which is my pastry background coming out, add white chocolate to the eggs, which gives a fabulous, custard-like consistency and serve it with a raspberry coulis instead of tomato sauce. Try it, it’s lovely.

Q Aside from cooking, what are you most passionate about?

Training the next generation of cooks is something that matters enormously to me but my other real passion is travel.

I’ve been lucky enough to have visited and worked in some wonderful countries and if I can spend my retirement lying on a beach in Aruba, sipping mojitos and watching the world go by, then I’ll be a very happy man.

MAIN COURSE SCOUSE STEW

with slow-cooked braised steak, lamb and seasonal vegetables SERVES 6 Ingredients l l l l l l l l l

3 tablespoons vegetable oil 340g diced braising steak 340g diced lamb 1.5kg peeled potatoes 3-4 cups beef stock 2 medium diced onions 2 medium thickly sliced carrots 1 medium diced swede 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

METHOD 1. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Season the meats, brown on all sides and transfer to a large, deep casserole pot.

2. Cut ¾ of the potatoes into thin slices, set on top of the meat, pour in the stock, cover and place in the oven for 90 mins at 60⁰C. 3. Cut the rest of the potatoes into small cubes and after 90 mins give the scouse a stir to break up the sliced potatoes to thicken it.

4. Mix in the uncooked potatoes, onions, swede, carrots and Worcestershire sauce, cover and cook for 60-90 mins at 160⁰C until the meat is tender.

5. Serve with pickled red cabbage, pickled beetroot and crusty bread.

good taste

Q Can you describe the moment you decided you wanted to be a chef?

From a young age I’ve had a keen interest in baking, so when I got the chance to do it as a Saturday job, I grabbed it with both hands.

Q What is the highlight of your career so far?

Having the Dalai Lama eat my shortbread and asking to take some away with him.

kelly gordon Chef Manager at Blair Castle

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Q What is the best thing about the role?

I find that every day brings a new and different challenge.

Q What is your favourite comfort food?

I don’t really have a comfort food as such, but I would have to say my mum's home cooking.

Q What is your ultimate decadent meal?

Although I don’t have a sweet tooth, I probably would say something chocolate based.

Q Who are your favourite chefs?

James Martin and Mary Berry.

Q What are the top three ingredients you like to cook with?

Anything that I can use in baking or making desserts.

Q Tell us your dream menu: starter, main and dessert?

Goats cheese and caramelised onion tart followed by beef wellington and chocolate fondant to finish.

dessert lemon and thyme posset with Highland heather honey shortbread dippers and Perthshire raspberries SERVES 6 Ingredients For the posset l 900ml double cream l 250g caster sugar l 3 large lemons - zest and juice l 30g fresh chopped thyme l handful of raspberries

For the shortbread l 57g icing sugar l 56g cornflour l 113g plain flour l 113g butter l 1 tablespoon Highland heather honey

METHOD For the posset 1. Place the cream and sugar into a pan and gently bring to the boil for 3 mins.

2. Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool.

3. Whisk in the lemon zest, juice and thyme.

4. Pour into serving jars and place in the fridge to set.

For the shortbread 1. Mix the flour, sugar, cornflour and butter until it forms a dough.

2. Add the honey and mix through.

3. Roll out and place into a lined baking tray.

4. Bake at 160â °c for 15 mins.

5. Cut into fingers while the shortbread is still warm and dust with caster sugar and raspberries.

in numbers

Discover sodexo Take a look at the fascinating facts and figures that make Sodexo Prestige and Corporate Services stand out from the rest

Surprising admirer The Dalai Lama was so impressed by Kelly Gordon’s, chef manager, Sodexo Prestige at Blair Castle, home-made shortbread that he asked if he could take some away with him.

Star prize Jo Morgan, Sodexo Prestige senior HR manager, is the In-house Recruiter of the Year for the company's work during the London 2012 Olympics.

Two Sodexo Prestige chefs who work at Everton Football Club won gold and were named best in class in a live theatre event at The Hospitality Show Salon Culinaire competition.

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Image © mrmichaelangelo / Shutterstock.com

Gold standard

Green fingers Sodexo provides horticultural services to around 1000 client locations in the UK and Ireland.

International reach Sodexo delivers a range of soft and hard FM services to Nokia from cleaning to lift operations. In India, Sodexo feeds 40,000 people a day in one Nokia staff restaurant alone.

Go bananas To mark the beginning of Fairtrade Fortnight, Sodexo Prestige distributed over 10,000 complimentary bananas to meeting and conference delegates everywhere, from Aberdeen Football Club to Ascot Racecourse.

Proud moment Sodexo Prestige won the premium staff dining category in the national Menu Innovation and Development (MIDAS) Awards. L-R: Mark Parfait, creative food director, Sodexo Prestige and Corporate Services, with Dave Edwards from Mission Foodservice.

Big win Jason Bendell won the Contract Catering District Manager Award at the Cost Sector Catering Awards 2013.

Flying high Sodexo operates at over 70 airport lounges across the UK and USA.

Fresh from the oven 95% of food produced at Sodexo Origo restaurants is fresh, with freshly baked bread and handmade cakes available daily.

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interview

60 seconds mark parfait with

Passion is a quality never in short supply at Sodexo Prestige. We talk to our creative food director to find out more Q Congratulations on your new role, what are you doing now?

My previous role combined a front-ofhouse and marketing approach to food, not just production, packaging, branding and selling. The food offer could be a new café opening and so my team would break it down into sections and see how we could improve each section. For example, auditing the salad bar we would look at trends in market and devise new concepts, better training programmes and better communications to the customer. I also implemented the Chef for Life programme aimed at retaining the best staff within the business through engagement, training, development, social events and motivational techniques, such as clear career paths, because we don’t want to train up someone and lose them. mark parfait creative food director

“

I am developing a Chefs' Academy, cherry picking the best from Sodexo and the industry and training them into super chefs of the future

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Those things stood out and they created this role for me on the executive board that is solely food creativity focused. We have a very skilled food development team and they all now come under my area, which gives us a strong focus on driving food to the forefront of Sodexo Prestige & Corporate Services. I am also developing a Chefs' Academy, cherry picking the best from Sodexo and the industry and training them into super chefs of the future. We are looking at establishing several centres of excellence which will be up to phenomenally high standards and will set an example of best practice to other businesses and clients.

Q How do you inspire creativity in your chefs?

It can be a challenge, but the way we do it is through “cultural imprinting”. For example, a chef joining Gordon Ramsay’s kitchen isn’t expecting an easy life, they know it will be hard work and long hours, but good training. We want everyone from chefs to waiters to join Sodexo Prestige knowing that they are joining a company culture that involves cutting-edge ideas,

locally-sourced and seasonal produce without even having to read a manual.

We have experimented with this strategy in a small area of the company and found that generally all the employees conveyed positive messages about the company, were more engaged in their jobs and more proactive and supportive of each other.

Q Will you be travelling?

My role will be UK based and I plan to get around as much of the business as I can over the next year. I will be travelling to Chicago in May with an industry food innovation forum and hope to pick up some great food ideas from across the Atlantic.

Q What is your dream destination?

Tokyo. With a food culture dating back over 2000 years and an average life expectancy of 83-years-old the Japanese know good, healthy food. I believe that the UK has only just scratched the surface of Japanese cooking and we have recently seen a massive expansion of sushi and noodle shops throughout our cities.

Q How do you encourage children to eat healthily?

Make it fun, fun, fun. The food itself needs to look colourful and exciting to eat. We look at innovative ways to display and package our kid's meals. One of our cafés serves kids' sandwiches on Lego boards and has mini play kitchens for children to create their own salads.

Q What is your family's favourite meal?

We always eat together as a family on the weekends and I am very keen for my children to experience all food cultures, so we may have slow roasted lamb shoulder tagine one day and Thai green curry the next. My son loves any meat on the bone at the moment, so confit of duck is currently on the Chez Parfait menu.

PHOTOGRAPHY © trappy76 / Shutterstock.com

competition on board

Magical Evening

enjoy a

FOR TWO ON BOARD A sensational EVENING RIVER CRUISE

Sodexo Prestige is offering one lucky winner the opportunity to glide down the River Thames on an indulgent two and three quarter hour cruise. Departing from Embankment Pier, guests are taken on a journey of the Thames, past sights both old and new, such as the Houses of Parliament, St Paul’s Cathedral, The Tower of London and The EDF Energy London Eye. Combining quality dining, superb entertainment and spectacular views from the river, this unique dining cruise experience captures the excitement of this great city from a truly special perspective.

Welcomed with a drink, you will be treated to a four course a la carte menu, the best house wine served with dinner, mineral water, Fairtrade tea and coffee and a live band. Followed by an overnight stay at one of London’s finest boutique hotels, The Arch London, and a complimentary continental breakfast, this will be a night to remember.

An experience not to be missed, enter now to enjoy the sights and sounds of London, fine dining and a stay at a luxury hotel, all courtesy of Sodexo Prestige & Corporate Services. Just answer the following question:

Which Formula 1 racing driver is a seven-time Formula One World Champion? a) Lewis Hamilton b) Jenson Button c) Michael Schumacher Please email your name and telephone number to kerry.hill@sodexo.com stating BATEAUX COMPETITION in the subject heading.

Terms & Conditions Entries must be received by 5pm on Monday 17 June 2013 and the winner will be drawn at random on Tuesday 18 June 2013.

The winner will be notified using the contact details provided. The prize is subject to availability at the time of request and is valid until 01 November 2013. Travel costs are not included. By entering this competition you are agreeing to Sodexo using your details for marketing purposes. There is no alternative prize or cash alternative. Sodexo Prestige, One Southampton Row, London, WC1B 5HA

Published for Sodexo Prestige by:

One Southampton Row, London, WC1B 5HA 020 3116 4361, www.sodexoprestige.co.uk

7 Heron Quay, Canary Wharf, London, E14 4JB 020 7987 4320, www.rwmg.co.uk

THE COLOUR AND THE GLORY Sodexo clients can enjoy 10% off the ultimate racing and hospitality experience in the Bessborough Restaurant.

For more information visit royalascothospitality.co.uk or to book call 0844 346 0346 and quote Prestige13.

TUESDAY 18TH JUNE TO SATURDAY 22ND JUNE 2013