Acorns 2020: Hebe Richardson, 23

Nutrition consultant, working with Bartlett Mitchell

Nominator Ian Thomas

While at university, Hebe Richardson completed various food-related internships, including an online grocery start-up to provide lunch for a team of 40 using only waste food, and with a thinktank assisting in the early stages of a report on dietary inequality in the UK.

After completing her degree, she became a registered associate nutritionist with the Association of Nutrition. She then went on to work with Bartlett Mitchell in a new position of wellness manager to develop a healthy eating strategy, combining training and customer outreach with menu development and analysis.

She immersed herself in the business, engaging all stakeholders. Her many initiatives include chef training workshops, the use of Nutritics nutritional analysis software at two client sites, a new vegan and vegetarian concept, and a nutritional and wellbeing calendar including a seasonal star of the month.

Richardson is also on UKHospitality’s working group for nutrition, developing the role of nutrition and public health in the hospitality industry as well as addressing policy changes and responding to government consultations.

Who is your hospitality hero?

This is a difficult question, as I don’t know many people who have had the same job as me. However, I worked in hospitality a lot growing up and had planned to train as a chef before embarking on university and a career in nutrition. I’ve always had a huge amount of respect for women in hospitality. In my experience of working in the industry in my younger years, it didn’t always feel inclusive or offer the same opportunities to women.

In terms of nutrition, I’ve always had huge respect for Jamie Oliver and what he has done over the years. He is clearly passionate about nutrition, not just on an individual level but also from a public health and policy perspective. He has a team of registered nutritionists to support this approach, and I appreciate his stance on responsibility within the industry.