Interviews: Foodservice professionals

Interviews with the key industry professionals, business leaders, researchers and thinkers in the UK foodservice industries

Twenty years of food ethics

On Wednesday the Food Ethics Council will celebrate its 20th anniversary by convening a panel of experts to discuss the future of food. Its executive director Dan Crossley talks to Nick Hughes about how our perception of food ethics has shifted since the scares and scandals of the 1980s and 90s that inspired the Council’s…

Interview: Gary Hunter on sustaining talent

Footprint (F): Gary, firstly how important do you think Sustainability in Education is? Gary Hunter (GH): For us at Westminster Kingsway College, sustainability in education is just as important as teaching our students about knife skills. We have always included a lot of theoretical and gastronomy work alongside our skills development and engage our students…

The government will soon launch its new bioeconomy strategy. This could put compostables in the spotlight, says David Newman. Footprint (F): We’ve all heard of the term compostables, but can you explain what it means? David Newman (DN): By definition, these materials are certified to be compostable within an industrial or home compostable environment. Certification…

Providing stability and better financial returns: Sodexo UK & Ireland talks to Footprint about why sustainability is an anchor for uncertain times. By Amy Fetzer With Brexit, increasing rates and rising raw material costs knocking confidence, creating uncertainty and squeezing bottom lines, foodservice businesses are feeling the pressure. For example, more than two thirds have…

With single-use packaging in politicians’ sights, the retailer’s circular economy lead talks to Footprint about plans to cut waste to zero. By David Burrows. It’s 14 months since Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall launched his offensive against the coffee shop chains and single-use coffee cups. Starbucks, Costa and Nero bore the brunt of the celebrity chef’s ire, but…

Andrew Stephen: my mission to bring sustainable food to life

The head of the Sustainable Restaurant Association recently celebrated a year in the role. He talks to Nick Hughes about the challenges and opportunities in helping restaurants achieve their sustainability goals. “What is a sustainable restaurant?” Andrew Stephen pauses for a moment while he ponders his own question. It may seem an odd point for…

Dr Richard Swannell discusses the latest HaFSA figures

You’ve just published interim data on the Hospitality and Foodservice Agreement on waste (HaFSA). What are the headline findings? Richard Swannell: The interim results compare the figures reported for 2014 with the baseline figures. This shows a continued good collective performance by signatories against both the waste prevention, and waste management targets. CO2 equivalent (CO2e)…

Back of house with Allegra McEvedy

Allegra McEvedy, the Footprint Award-winning chef, talks about animal welfare and the challenges of championing sustainability. When did you first become interested in animal welfare? Allegra McEvedy: Fairly quickly after I left college in the early 90s. I was lucky enough to fall into some great forward-thinking restaurants that understood the value of good animal…

Message in a bottle

Innocent MD Nick Canney talks sugar, thirsty strawberries, imperfect pineapples and staying true to its roots. By Amy Fetzer. Innocent is an interesting brand. It wants to be your friend, and it chats to you from its conversational packs which promise you a product that “tastes…

Back of house

POLITICIANS DON'T seem keen on a tax on sugary drinks, so the Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group took matters into its own hands. CEO Simon Blagden suggests it won't be long before others follow their lead. What prompted you to introduce a 10p…