Contract Catering Awards interview

While, of course, every single one of awards is worthy, with a past incarnation as B&I magazine, the business and industry accolade is often one of the most hotly contested. And this year it was very much a case of business as usual, with CH&CO, which picked up four gongs on the night, prevailing.

The winner was Sarah Thomson of the company’s Vacherin brand, whose day job is as general manager for the UK operation of a large professional client based in the capital. “Providing an exceptional food offering for its people is an important part of the culture and philosophy,” she elaborates. “My brilliant team of 40 people deliver the highest standard of foodservice, hospitality and innovation to over 500 people daily, with plenty of bespoke events and theme days to keep the offer fresh and interesting.”

More specifically, Thomson believes she was nominated for her important work developing the client relationship. This included hosting theme days and events, which obviously more than did the job as the end result was a contract extension of three years. She has also been recognised for leading, growing and developing her team, which has resulted in promotions and an impressive retention rate of 80%.

The client brief is that ‘the offer must never stand still and must constantly evolve’. Against this backdrop, Thomson believes that she ultimately won because of the collaborative, innovative approach that she and her team have adopted.

“We succeeded in delivering all this by introducing theme days that reflect the trends and vibrancy of the London food scene,” Thomson says. “This has kept the offer exciting, giving our customers differentiation as well as excellence. I think the growth and development of my team was also a factor, as it has resulted in an engaged and enthusiastic team that impress me and the client daily.”

Despite all these impressive achievements, Thomson modestly says: “I know everyone says it, but honestly, I didn't expect to win at all, especially given the incredible strength and talent of the other finalists. It was an honour just to be nominated alongside them, but to win was an amazing achievement and feeling.”

Unfortunately, Thomson was unable to attend the evening itself – although we’ll let her off as she was in South Africa at the time. Despite missing out on CH&CO’s collective celebration – “they certainly made the most of the evening from what I heard” – she has really felt the benefit since.

“Winning this award has most definitely given me a confidence boost, but more importantly, it’s been a huge recognition of the incredible work my entire team puts in every day,” Thomson reflects. “This win isn't just for me, it's for the collective effort and dedication of everyone involved.

“It’s also been a wonderful way to highlight our commitment to delivering the best for our clients. The recognition has energised us all, and we're more motivated than ever to keep pushing boundaries and achieving even greater things together.”

You can still enter the 2025 Contract Catering Awards - but the deadloine closes on Friday 13th! 

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