Foodservice Cateys 2024: Outstanding Contribution Award – John Nugent, Green & Fortune

John Nugent embodies the essence of hospitality. His warmth, generosity and ability to throw a party are the stuff of industry legend.

In Green & Fortune, which celebrated its 15th anniversary last year, he has created a business that truly stands out from the crowd, with its founder’s exuberant personality at its heart.

Nugent caught the hospitality bug as a student and, after attending catering college in Dublin, he moved to London to join the team at the Thistle Tower hotel in Tower Bridge.  At the age of 21 he made the move into foodservice and joined Searcy’s, where he would remain for 16 years, before becoming its chief executive at the age of 35.

Then, in December 2007, he left the caterer to launch his own business, Green & Fortune, in London’s King’s Cross, when the country was on the cusp of one of the worst economic crashes in living memory. He has described those early days as a “definitive, delirious high”, with many sleepless nights.

Under his guidance, Green & Fortune has grown to four sites across London: King’s Place Events, Sea Containers Events, Central Hall in Westminster and its most recent addition, Rose Court on the South Bank. The business now spans events, retail, and business and industry, and has carved a reputation for quality, innovation, technical savvy and commercial nous.

Accordingly, his team has grown to more than 250 people with forecast revenue for this financial year standing at £18.5m.

As well as leading Green & Fortune, Nugent is also co-owner and founder of restaurant and bar Daffodil Mulligan and Gibney’s London. He has also partnered with other hospitality entrepreneurs to launch Patina Edinburgh.

Outside of his business achievements Nugent has launched many initiatives to support his teams, the wider industry and charities. In 2020 he launched G&F Supports to help employees through the pandemic, and when the cost of living crisis hit in 2023 he extended the scheme to provide one-off payments to all employees at a cost of £100,000.

He has also raised more than £84,000 for the London Irish Centre, supported the Clink in its initiatives to provide training to prisoners – even employing its first graduate – raising money for Hospitality Action and the New Horizon Youth Centre and donating more than 15,000 meals to food banks. 

It’s no wonder Nugent is held in such high esteem as a figurehead of the industry. CH&Co chief operating officer Allister Richards said: “John embodies what is important and vital about hospitality. Generosity not just of spirit, but of action and investment. He has a way of connecting businesses, like-minded individuals and competitors in a space he has made safe, open and united. He has made his excellent business like a club – you are honoured to be invited and, subject to moderately good behaviour, your membership will enrich your professional and personal life.”

Chris Mitchell, chief executive of Genuine Dining, added: “Such an affable, likeable, generous character. When you spend time with him, you come away feeling as though you have made a friend for life. Which is what he is to me.”

See previous winners of the award here