Catering equipment trio host chef mentoring event for NHS staff

First Choice Group has hosted a chef mentoring event for NHS staff which saw healthcare chefs take part in cook-offs, and benefit from dedicated mentoring sessions.

Hosted by First Choice and supported by MKN and Hobart, the theme for the event was ‘The Future of Food’ and included a talk on ‘The Net Zero Kitchen’ from the NHS Greener Team, as well as a live cookery session from Meatless Farm entitled ‘Enhancing menu choice for healthy, low carbon eating.’

The events saw guest speakers, including Nick Vadis, culinary director at Compass Group UK&I and the chef ambassador to the NHS Supply Chain, Phil Shelley, chair of the NHS Food Review 2020, Emma Brookes, head of soft FM strategy & operations at NHS England and Dr Rupy Aujla, an NHS GP who started ‘The Doctor’s Kitchen’, deliver a raft of engaging sessions.

The delegates were also introduced to key industry mentors, each able to support the chefs to serve a quality menu to patients and visitors in their care settings.

John Whitehouse, managing director at First Choice Group, said: “It was a real honour to host the NHS Mentoring Event, in association with MKN and Hobart. With everything our great health service has put up with over the past 18-months, to be able to give something back by way of a dedicated mentoring event, including some fantastic speakers and a fun cook-off competition was just a small way of us saying our thanks.”

Simon Gardiner, regional manager – South at Hobart UK Equipment Division, added: “We were delighted to welcome chefs from across our National Health Service to a dedicated mentoring event hosted by First Choice. At Hobart, we wanted to show our support to those in our industry who’ve worked tirelessly by providing an invaluable service to our nation. What better way to do this than to bring together a celebrated line-up of guest speakers and a group of well-respected mentors to give something back.”