Category: Services

Nurturing Culinary Excellence: Angel Hill’s ‘Culinary Classroom’ Programme

Posted on by danbarber
For the Love of Food

At Angel Hill, we know that the heart of exceptional catering lies in the passion and skill of our chefs. That’s why we’ve established the ‘Culinary Classroom,’ an internal chef training program designed to harness and elevate the culinary talents within our ranks.

The Culinary Classroom is a year-long journey that offers chefs from across our organisation the unique opportunity to hone their craft and delve deeper into the intricacies of the culinary world. With a strong focus on essential skills and a deep understanding of our supply chain, this program equips our chefs with the tools they need to excel in the dynamic catering industry.

Module Diversity

The heart of the Culinary Classroom lies in its diverse curriculum. Our chefs embark on a thrilling educational journey that encompasses various facets of their profession:

  • Kitchen Management: Chefs learn the art of efficient kitchen management, ensuring every culinary operation runs smoothly.
  • Seasonality: Understanding the ebb and flow of seasonal ingredients is crucial in crafting menus that showcase the best of each season.
  • Menu Planning: Chefs master the art of menu creation, crafting dishes that delight the palate and meet the highest culinary standards.
  • Practical Cookery Skills: Hands-on training ensures our chefs excel in practical culinary techniques, bringing their creations to life.
Beyond the Kitchen

The Culinary Classroom is more than just classroom learning. It’s an interactive, practical, and enjoyable experience. It encourages our chefs to break away from the routine of their daily tasks and venture out to explore the broader food chain.

Farm Visits: Our chefs first-hand see where our ingredients originate. These visits foster a deep appreciation for the quality and origin of our produce.

Workshops: Specialised workshops led by industry experts expand our chefs’ horizons and expose them to new culinary perspectives.

Trade Shows: The program includes visits to trade shows and culinary events, keeping our chefs up-to-date with the latest trends and innovations in the catering world.

A Path to Leadership

The Culinary Classroom is not just about enhancing skills; it’s also about nurturing leaders. We’re proud that many of our senior chefs have come through the ranks, starting their culinary journey with Angel Hill and rising to lead our ever-growing catering division.

In conclusion, the ‘Culinary Classroom program is a testament to our commitment to culinary excellence and the growth of our talented chefs. Through this initiative, we aim to ensure that every dish we serve reflects our team’s passion, dedication, and expertise. Angel Hill is not just a catering company; it’s a culinary journey filled with love and dedication to the art of food.

“Since its launch in 2015, we’ve had over 60 colleagues progress through their journeys in the class, and it’s been an absolute privilege of mine to mentor and guide our people. Giving our people the opportunity to have new experiences and gain knowledge, skills and confidence in their profession gives me immense pride; it’s a true pleasure to behold each year’s class bond over their shared passion, a love for food.”

“Over the year, our Culinary Classroom has paved the way for our aspiring chefs to achieve their goals and aspirations, taking them to places they never thought possible within the industry. It’s been an absolute privilege to be a part of it; I can’t wait to see and meet the new chefs we take onto the Culinary Classroom in the future.”

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Matt Vernon

Executive Development Chef

Best Experience: The Role of Amika Guest Services in Creating Outstanding Moments

Posted on by danbarber
Delivering the best experiences

In the world of hospitality, the role of guest services and concierge teams is pivotal. Amika Guest Services, with its unwavering commitment to excellence, stands at the forefront, bearing the responsibility of delivering the best experiences possible. These experiences can make all the difference, not only for guests but also for businesses, presentations, and overall productivity. Amika Guest Services plays a crucial role in ensuring that every interaction is exceptional and how these interactions contribute to the success of various endeavours.

Amika Guest Services understands that the little things matter. From when guests arrive to their departure, our dedicated team ensures that every detail is thoughtfully taken care of.

Our mission is to make people and places the best they can be, focusing on creating an environment where everyone feels safe, welcome, and secure.

The Impact on Return Guests

Exceptional guest experiences are more than just a warm welcome. They are the foundation for building lasting relationships. A memorable stay can differ between guests choosing to return or seeking alternatives. At Amika Guest Services, we aim to win hearts and minds, creating customers and advocates for our brand.

Boosting Business Success

In today’s competitive business world, presentations and meetings are critical. The quality of the guest experience can significantly impact the outcome. Amika Guest Services ensures business meetings run smoothly, presentations go well, and teams are optimised for success. Our attention to detail and commitment to excellence contribute to the overall productivity of your organisation.

Operational Resilience and Safety

Amika Guest Services goes beyond hospitality; we are also dedicated to operational resilience and safety. We follow proper procedures and best practices to keep everyone safe. Leveraging the support of our other FM divisions, such as catering, hard services, and security and access controls, we provide comprehensive solutions to ensure the security and well-being of all.

First impressions that last

Amika Guest Services is about creating outstanding moments that leave a lasting impression. Whether for guests, business endeavours, or safety measures, our team’s mission is to make people and places the best they can be. We understand the significance of providing every essential service our customers might require. It’s a responsibility we take seriously; ensuring the satisfaction and well-being of our customers is always our top priority.

“We understand the significance of providing every essential service our customers might require. It’s a responsibility we take seriously; ensuring the satisfaction and well-being of our clients is always our top priority.”

Huanita Wallace

OCS Front of House Ambassador

Groundhouse Giveback Scheme Raises £10,000 For Farmers in Need

Posted on by emmacook

Giving back to local communities

We have been working with the Capucas (COCAFCAL) Co-operative and donating £2 from every case of coffee we purchase, which then pays into a revolving fund that helps improve the living standards for the smaller coffee bean producers.

The needs of the farming community changes regularly, so the Giveback Programme allows the money to be invested in funds where it matters and is needed the most. The fund has been developed as support to small producers’ specific needs such as improvement of housing, shelters and production infrastructure – which will benefit both the producers and their families, with the aim of increasing the economic and productive income for the farmers of the Capucas.

From courses on growing vegetables to reduce food costs and improve health, to providing tools they need to harvest, as well as basic housing and infrastructure improvements, the fund helps with whatever the community needs.

This year our Groundhouse Give Back Programme has hit an amazing total of £10,000!

This money will positively impact improving living standards in the farming communities, from where we source some of our Blend 7 coffee. We are incredibly proud of our teams, they have been working extremely hard to promote our Groundhouse Coffee brand and have been serving nothing less than the best coffee.

“We decided to start a field school for the implementation of vegetables where more than 30+ Households have participated, including young people between 17 to 25 years and adults. This will benefit small producers, who lack suitable conditions to live in dignity and offer better spaces to their coffee in each harvest. It’s also being used for inputs, equipment, and first-hand tools such as mowers, pumps, inputs, etc. Thankyou Groundhouse, this money will change lives!”

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Capucas café

Mobilising cleaning team at short notice for stadium gig

Posted on by ameliaroberts

The customer

The Coventry Building Society Arena is owned by the Frasers Group, and hosts a multitude of events throughout the year. From being the home stadium for Coventry City FC to hosting live music concerts, exhibitions and conferences, the venue is a continual hive of activity.

The challenge

In the summer of 2022, the facility underwent some major redevelopment work to refurbish the boardroom and executive boxes. With the final stage of work still ongoing and a board event due to take place in the new area in under a week, the Arena’s incumbent cleaning contractor wasn’t able to fulfil a deep clean – leaving the Arena with a serious challenge. 

While the OCS team had worked with Frasers Group before, we had never worked on the Coventry Building Society Arena, and were asked to mobilise a team of eight cleaners within three days to conduct a Saturday deep clean.

 

The solution

By using our time and attendance software system, we were immediately able to contact all staff in the local area across all of our divisions to gauge availability to work at the Arena on the Saturday. Very quickly, we were able to mobilise a team ready to ensure the new facilities were spotless. 

With rubble still on the floor, the team was on-site for around five hours, cleaning everything from walls, windows and floors to big screens, coordinating with and working around the builders as the last stages of building work were completed

The outcome

The cleaning work was completed more quickly than the customer expected, and when they arrived to inspect the site, they were incredibly impressed. As they’d never worked with us before, they didn’t know what to expect, and they were hugely grateful – not only that we’d been able to mobilise a team so quickly, but also because of the quality of the job. 

By ensuring the facility was clean, safe and hygienic, the event the Arena had booked in for 36 hours later was able to go ahead. 

Angel Hill Food Co chef wins ‘StrEATfood Chef of the Year 2023’

Posted on by ameliaroberts

A Development Chef who works for leading contract caterer Angel Hill Food Co, has been awarded a highly prestigious award recognising his outstanding talent, creativity and dedication to delivering exceptional food experiences.

Matt Chapman was named “StrEATfood Chef of the year” at the Annual StrEATfood Awards which searches for the UK’s most creative street food chef from the workplace and event catering sectors. He beat 15 other chefs who were also shortlisted after entering their signature street food dishes for the panel of judges, with a winning dish of a Keralan steak and chip butty. He also came second in the ‘Dish of the year’ category with his Oak smoked goat birria tacos.

Matt has worked at Angel Hill Food Co for almost 6 years where he develops recipes for clients, creating dishes that are tasty, healthy and different.

Commenting on his win Matt said: “I am truly honoured and humbled by this recognition. Street food is all about connecting with people through the power of food and I feel incredibly lucky to have this platform to share my passion.  This award belongs to my dedicated team who have supported me throughout the competition and given me the opportunity to explore new flavours, techniques, and cultures.  My company has always championed my ambitions – providing me, and my team, with the tools and skills to do more, allowing us to achieve great things together.”

Chris Ince, Chef Director at Angel Hill Food Co, added: “We are extremely proud of Matt and this incredible achievement.  His passion for food shines through in his engagement with all of our frontline teams and the amazing food he creates for our clients. These awards are a wonderful opportunity to celebrate all that the contract catering industry has to offer, and they are aligned to our commitment to making people and places the best they can be.”

Nick Ackroyd re-joins OCS as Divisional Sales Director for Cleaning

Posted on by ameliaroberts

We are delighted to announce that Nick Ackroyd has recently re-joined OCS as our Divisional Sales Director for Cleaning.

Nick brings a wealth of experience and expertise in facilities services, spanning Aviation, Cleaning, Security, and Facilities Management. With a career that includes significant roles at ABM UK, Virgin Atlantic Airways, and previous positions here at OCS, Nick’s extensive background makes him a valuable asset to our team.

“We are pleased to welcome Nick back to OCS. His depth of industry knowledge, commitment to excellence, and past contributions to our organisation make him an exceptional fit for our new vision and mission.”

Andrew Sugars

Chief Commercial Officer

Nick’s return to OCS comes at a pivotal time for our company. As we have recently merged and established a new vision, mission, and a set of core values, Nick’s experience and industry knowledge will be invaluable in helping us navigate this exciting phase.