Food Service Matters

In Season Two, Episode Six of the  Food Service Matters  podcast, host Patrick McDermott interviews Katie Harel, Global Vice President of Marketing at Rhubarb Hospitality, an international hospitality company specialising in luxury event catering and creative dining experiences at iconic restaurants and venues. Patrick discovers more about Katie’s background growing up around luxury hotels and her...

In this episode, host Patrick McDermott interviews Chris Stern, founder and managing director of Stern Consultancy, a specialist catering consultancy helping a wide range of clients in the UK and Europe improve their workplace food service operations and offerings.  Patrick discovers more about Chris’ perspective on how client expectations in the industry have evolved over the decades, including t...

In this episode of Food Service Matters , host Patrick McDermott interviews Candice Finn, Commercial Development Director for Litmus, a specialist consultancy firm working with organisations in the food service and facilities management sectors.  Patrick discovers more about Candice’s role at Litmus, advising clients on getting the best value from their service contracts. They also discuss the big...

In this episode, host Patrick McDermott interviews Jon Davies, Managing Director of Levy UK & Ireland, part of Compass Group. Levy specialises in providing bespoke food service on a large scale, including for popular sports venues, arenas, events and conferences.  Patrick finds out more about Jon’s passion for the environment and the measures he’s taking to improve overall operational sustaina...

In episode two of the  Food Service Matters  season two podcast, host Patrick McDermott interviews Chris Sheppardson, founder and managing director of EP Business in Hospitality, a leading communicator in the industry aiming to build trusted business partnerships, encourage entrepreneurships and share knowledge.  Patrick talks to Chris about the huge effect brought about by COVID-19, particularly...

Kicking off season two of  Food Service Matters , host Patrick McDermott interviews Ali Honour, a climate conscious chef, activist and adviser with a focus on food waste and sustainable food systems. Ali has 30 years’ experience in the food service industry and is driving positive change with her passion for sustainability and efficiency. Patrick interviews Ali on her journey in the food service b...

In this end-of-year episode of the Food Service Matters podcast, host Patrick McDermott and his guests talk about what 2023 has meant for their companies and for the Food Services sector – and they’ll each share what they foresee for the industry in 2024. Welcoming back three guests who have joined him on the podcast earlier in the year , Patrick will also have a preview from the first guest sched...

In episode number seven of the Food Service Matters podcast, host Patrick McDermott welcomes Ben McEwen, Sales Director of Lexington, an innovative company that has been providing catering and reception services for businesses for over 20 years and, more recently, to independent schools. Patrick interviews Ben on the most pressing industry challenges, including staffing and sustainability, and the...

In episode number six of the Food Service Matters podcast, host Patrick McDermott welcomes Bob Cotton, former head of the British Hospitality Association (BHA), now known as UKHospitality, the leading trade body representing all businesses within the UK hospitality sector.  Patrick interviews Bob on the key insights gained from his experience in the industry, including his views on cost control an...

In episode number five of the Food Service Matters podcast, host Patrick McDermott welcomes Kevin Watson, Managing Director of Amadeus Foods, an award-winning corporate, private, and wedding event catering company based in the West Midlands. Patrick interviews Kevin about a range of topics, including the issue of staff hiring and retention in the food service industry, handling cost pressures in t...

In episode number four of the Food Service Matters podcast, host Patrick McDermott welcomes Zoe Watts, Managing Director of the reputable London-based food and reception service provider Bennett Hay. Patrick interviews Zoe about various topics, including the changing face of the food service business, current key industry trends, and the implementation of technology into the company’s operations....

In episode three of the Food Service Matters podcast, host Patrick McDermott welcomes Vojtech Végh, plant-based chef and author of Surplus: The food waste guide for chefs. Patrick interviews Vojtech about a range of topics, from his vegan restaurant in Cambodia to the journey that led him to discovering zero-waste cooking. Vojtech discusses the financial incentives of reducing waste – and the impo...

In episode number two of the Food Service Matters podcast, host Patrick McDermott welcomes Frank Bothwell, the Founder & CEO of ethical, bespoke caterers Thomas Franks.   Patrick interviews Frank about a range of topics, from the innovative culture in his organisation, to the good work they do, including having used food surpluses to provide over a million meals to those in need. They also dis...

In the first episode of the Food Service Matters podcast, host Patrick McDermott welcomes his special guest, Chris Chidley, Chief Growth Officer at Compass Group, Europe's largest food service company. Patrick introduces Chris as someone who is just as comfortable pulling pints as he is coordinating change across Compass. In this episode, Chris shares his experience and knowledge on leadership...

Welcome to Episode Zero of Food Service Matters, a podcast that explores the challenges and opportunities facing the food service industry today. In this episode, your host, Patrick McDermott, CEO of DigiTally, shares his passion for the food and hospitality sector, and why he started the podcast.  Food Service Matters is all about conversations with leaders in the food service space - including t...