ADVICE & OPINION
FROM THE FRONT
AT YOUR SERVICE
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I always wanted to work in hospitality. Making
a di erence to someone’s day — no matter
how big or small—is something that drives me.
I studied in The Hotel School in The Hague,
Netherlands, and frequently visited London as a
student, quickly falling in love with the variety of
culture and food that the city o ers.
A er dreaming about a career here, I moved in
2013 where I got a job in contract catering. I never
imagined enjoying this aspect of the hospitality
industry, but building relationships with clients and
customers while motivating a large team is really
fulfilling my ambition.
I’m the General Manager based at Hogan Lovells, an
international law firm in Central London for Bartlett
Mitchell, where I’m responsible for all foodservice,
hospitality and event operations (restaurant, co• ee
bar, hospitality meeting & events across various
floors & buildings).
A vital component to running a successful
operation is having a team that works well together
and “bring their whole self to work”, regardless of
their role. We all need each other to deliver the best
service possible, so in my eyes, a kitchen porter is
as valuable as a manager. By having this ethos and
using one of our company values; open and honest,
I’ve created a team that will not only go the extra mile
for clients but also for each other.
An extremely talented group of chefs make up
my team, with a mix of Michelin star and extensive
contract catering experience. The creativity and drive
to be on top of food trends means that we constantly
strive for innovation and aim to deliver fresh, trendy,
tasty food that customers love. Vegetarian and
vegan options, in particular, have become more
popular in recent years. Through delicious food and
10 FEBRUARY 2021
great service, we have built a sustainable long-term
relationship with my client and our customers.
COPING WITH COVID
Since the first lockdown, I have focused on keeping
in touch with my team via weekly meetings and calls.
Even during periods with no news, we continue to
interact through virtual game nights — something
that will ensure a smooth transition when we return
to a new normal.
One of our biggest challenges was to keep in touch
with clients while out of o• ice. To keep engagement
up, we launched a ‘make at home’ newsletter
with my team, which is now sent company-wide.
With excellent chefs in the team, it was easy to put
great recipes together. We have now sent over 40
newsletters with a variety of recipes including main
courses, healthy snacks, and desserts. We also
include tips for using up le over ingredients and
have launched cooking competitions to win prizes.
While most of London remained empty, I was lucky
enough to return to the o• ice with a small team in
July. We launched a click & collect service from our
restaurant and co• ee bar via an app service, as well
as a bento box lunch menu in hospitality. With half of
the team on-site and the other half at home, it was
a challenge, but we continued the weekly meetings
and phone calls to ensure nobody slipped under the
radar.
Unfortunately, across BM’s London sites, we’ve
seen less than one-fi h of the population make
a return back to client o• ice sites a er the first
lockdown. Our client agreed the use of part of the
on-site kitchen as a hub for some Bartlett Mitchell
activity. We could o• er food to some sites that
were not yet operational and managed to launch
new concepts including virtual client events and
cooking classes. This has put us in a strong position
to maintain client relationships and develop our
business during a very di• icult time.
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Before the second lockdown was announced, news
that millions of Londoners were going hungry
opened up a conversation with my client, which is
committed to responsible business. Looking at the
facilities and resources we had available, we saw
how we could potentially make a di• erence and
support Londoners in need. We began researching
food charities to see if we could support from our
kitchen, or by signing up as volunteers. The response
was fantastic, and we are delighted to be supporting
two charities going forward. One of them, Food for
All, is located just around the corner from our o• ice,
and is an entirely volunteer-run food relief charity
that provides up to 5,000 vegan meals per day to
community groups and local authorities. The other,
The Felix Project, is a food distribution charity in
London that tackles food waste and hunger. In the
last year, they have distributed over 14 million meals
to more than 450 charities across London.
When the second lockdown was announced at
the beginning of November, we had everything in
place to launch the charity support. So far, we have
cooked and donated over 15,000 portions of soup to
The Felix Project, with support from Hogan Lovells
volunteers and have volunteered over 2,600 hours
at both charities with a team of 28 catering sta• . By
cooking soup on-site and supporting both charities,
we are now contributing to a full circle, from soup
production to the delivery at schools and community
centres.
Until everyone returns to the o• ice, we will
continue our charity support. Besides the feel-good
factor it provides, it has provided the whole team
with a sense of purpose in a time where so many
people are su• ering. It is fantastic that our client
enables us to support charities like these, and I can’t
praise my team enough for all the incredible work
they are doing to tackle hunger in London.
Looking back at the last 10 months, it’s been a
rollercoaster. But being uncertain about the future
has only made us stronger and able to better adapt
to change. The building occupancy may never be
quite the same again, but I am confident that with
delicious food and inspirational service, our great
team will bring the wow factor back into the o• ice.