Foodservice Cateys 2025: Chef of the Year – Dan Wilson, BaxterStorey

Dan Wilson is described by his colleagues as “committed, organised, passionate and progressive”, all qualities that mark out an exceptional chef leader.

He joined BaxterStorey in 2020 as head of food for London and has since been promoted to head of food for the entire UK business. In this role he leads the chef teams to serve more than a million meals every day across more than 1,000 locations. 

Working with director of food Greg Bramwell, he has been instrumental in driving what BaxterStorey has dubbed its ‘Obsessed’ culture – a term the business uses to bring together a focus on craft, creativity, carbon, cheer and community.

To mark three years of BaxterStorey’s Obsessed movement, Wilson led the UK food team in delivering the first-ever Obsessed Expo. Designed as a multi-sensory journey, the Expo featured five immersive studio spaces, each one offering an exploration of the future of food and sustainable nutrition.

He worked closely with his culinary leads to craft thought-provoking, visually stunning and deliciously original menus to inspire the 3,000 attendees. As well as capturing the imagination it provided the content for the caterer’s highest-performing Instagram reels of the year.

He is also obsessed about supporting his team to reach their potential. His hands-on mentorship has resulted in numerous promotions within the business, including for Luke Smith, who was promoted to chef director at Holroyd Howe, and Sam Fisk, who moved up into the London team as regional executive chef.

 Wilson has not only developed people but has also adapted the team’s structure and capabilities to meet the demands of a changing foodservice sector. This has extended to recruitment, where he has launched a new Chef Open Day format, which reimagines the traditional trade test. Chefs are invited to tour kitchens, meet the team and understand the business before participating in a team cook-along designed to help each candidate thrive. The initiative has driven a surge in applications, shortened time-to-hire, and elevated the overall candidate experience.

It almost goes without saying that Wilson is also on top of his game when it comes to exceeding client expectations too. He has been instrumental in a large new contract win at broadcaster Sky, having introduced a collection of forward-thinking, sustainability-led dining zones, including a clean and raw build-your-own protein bar, a bakery, a carbon green dining room, and a chef partner collaboration theatre bar. The project now serves as a blueprint for the future of workplace dining within BaxterStorey.

He has made a significant contribution supporting the wider industry, too. Wilson partners with Chef’s Adopt a School, volunteering his time to run sessions to educate children on healthy eating habits and nutrition. He has encouraged his chef brigade to do the same, and as a result in 2024 his team reached more than 900 school children.

Meanwhile, Wilson has driven a partnership with Cook for Good in London’s King’s Cross, at which professional chefs and corporate teams cook and serve themed lunches for up to 65 community members. Under his guidance, the partnership has expanded across the wider BaxterStorey network, with 60 senior leaders now involved – most notably delivering Christmas lunches and soups to local communities.

Wilson was a unanimous choice by our judges and is a chef clearly making a major contribution to both his business and the wider community. 

Judges’ comments

“An exceptionally strong chef and mentor who clearly supports others through developing young talent. A great ambassador for the foodservice sector and wider hospitality industry.” David Mulcahy

“This was a very strong field, but Dan stood out from the shortlist through an excellent entry with tangible evidence of his leadership and innovation.” David Steel

“This was a stunning submission, highlighting Dan’s mentorship and his dedication to developing his teams and growing the next generation.” Harry Lomas

Shortlist

• Paul Hood, Heritage Portfolio, Sodexo Live!
• Michael King, Chartwells Universities
• Alex Rowe, Vacherin
• Dan Wilson, BaxterStorey
• Julian Wilson, Medirest Signature, Compass Group UK & Ireland