Contract Catering Awards interview

With the winners just announced from our 2026 Contract Catering Awards, we bring you our last profile from the school of 2025. And what a winner to finish on! After all, who wouldn’t want to be named ‘Unit Hero of the Year’? So, what exactly does it take to earn this particularly impressive accolade?

Well, Endang Gonzalez of Blue Apple Catering is very much the woman to ask, and she believes that she received her nomination in recognition of her overall contribution to her site. “I think it was for my transformation work, combining flair, creativity and a passion for people, in particular, which has delivered outstanding results,” she says.

“This award reflects the work put in place to maintain high culinary standards, lead and support the team, improve consistency and ensure the site continues to perform well in the fast-paced contract catering environment.”

The day job Gonzalez is referring to is as a chef manager at a site based in Milton Keynes. “I’m responsible for overseeing the day-to-day food operation, as well as menu development, food quality and safety, team leadership and cost control, and ensuring consistently high standards of service for our clients and customers,” she explains.

“An important part of my role is looking after my team of five amazing ladies who work so hard and really are the best people to be around. They all help me to deliver high-quality outcomes and drive continuous improvement, and I’m proud to work with them.”

While this is impressively modest of Gonzalez, it is an individual award, so what in particular does she think made her stand out among such strong competition? “I believe I won for my consistent focus on teamwork, reliability and delivering quality every day,” she says. “In contract catering, the site is the heart of the operation, and strong leadership is essential to maintain high standards, support team members, and meet and exceed client expectations. I think this is so important, as what you bring to the role directly impacts customer satisfaction, team morale and the overall success of the contract.”

Despite her evidently impressive achievements, Gonzalez remains typically self-effacing in maintaining that she still didn’t expect to actually win on the night. “It was a real honour to be nominated and I did not expect it at all,” she says. “All the nominees demonstrated really high standards of work and achievements, so receiving this recognition was very a wonderful surprise and it is something I am extremely grateful for.

“I thoroughly enjoyed the evening. It was well organised and provided a great opportunity to celebrate achievements, connect with others and recognise the amazing work taking place across the contract catering sector.”

As we have just announced our 14^th set of winners, Gonzalez has had a whole year to reflect on her win. However, she is still enjoying the benefits of claiming a Contract Catering Award.

“Winning has been incredibly motivating and rewarding,” she concludes. “It has reinforced the value of the work we are doing and boosted confidence and morale, both personally and within the wider team.

“It’s has also helped me to raise awareness of the transformation project and encourage continued focus on making positive impacts. In addition, it’s encouraged me to continue pushing standards and develop both myself and the people around me.”

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