Restaurant Associates UK

At Restaurant Associates UK, we take immense pride in our collaborations with some of the finest chefs from the UK. Recently, our Marketing Director, Gavin Gooddy, shared insights with The Caterer on the substantial value these chef partnerships bring to our business and our guests. Our esteemed partners include culinary luminaries such as Michel Roux, Sabrina Ghayour, Dipna Anand, Jason Atherton, Native, Marcus Wareing, and Bryn Williams, among others. These collaborations not only elevate our food propositions but also significantly contribute to the learning and development of our culinary teams. Our journey to exceptional dining experiences begins with a thorough understanding of our customers' needs and preferences. Gavin emphasised the critical role of customer feedback and consumer trends in shaping our culinary offerings. By examining what’s important to our customers and identifying areas where our partners can add value and knowledge, we ensure that our services are both relevant and innovative. We utilise a variety of insight channels to gather this valuable feedback. These include consumer feedback from the high street, our extensive Global Eating at Work survey (with over 35,000 participants worldwide), and regular feedback mechanisms. This comprehensive approach helps us stay attuned to our customers’ needs and respond effectively. Customer preferences often steer us towards exciting new opportunities. The growing demand for global cuisines, street food, and plant-forward menus reflects the evolving tastes of our clientele. Diversity within our partnership profile is essential to meeting these diverse needs. Whether our clients require a refined dining experience or a more casual service, we strive to offer a balance of culinary options that cater to the various businesses we serve. Our commitment to sustainability is exemplified through initiatives developed with partners like Native’s Tisdall-Downes and Davis. These collaborations focus on creating environmentally conscious dining solutions that resonate with our clients and guests. Additionally, our chef partners have played a pivotal role in the development of apprenticeship programs such as "Forward" with Marcus and "Collaborate" with Michel Roux. These programs are designed to foster the next generation of culinary talent, ensuring that our teams are equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to excel in the industry. As we continue to evolve, our chef partnerships remain a cornerstone of our strategy. They bring unparalleled expertise, creativity, and passion to our kitchens, enriching the dining experiences we offer. At Restaurant Associates, we are dedicated to nurturing these relationships and leveraging them to deliver exceptional value to our guests. Check out the article here for more information: https://lnkd.in/etmHhCBP #chef #collaborate #restaurantassociates Restaurant Associates Venues Ways to be Well

As a hospitality company, we are seeing the surge in the grab-and-go category and the expanding acceptance of this at the point of sale. Many of our clients, who before connected self-service with retail, now want it to be a part of the breakfast and lunchtime dining experience for their employees. We understand that every minute counts, especially during lunch and our innovative ‘weigh and pay’ machines mean hot and cold dishes and snacks can be purchased quickly and efficiently. So our guests can enjoy a delicious meal in a matter of minutes. Stephanie Robertson DipWSET Kenny Leamy #timesaving #experientialdining #technology #innovation 

🍽 Plastic Free July 🍽 There is still time to get behind this global movement and work towards using less single-use plastic! One third of the world's waste is packaging, including 6 million tonnes of single-use food and drink items, with just 14% of it being recycled or composted. We are working to combat this problem with our impactful partnership with CauliBox and their re-suable containers. Using award winning technology to help food businesses to manage reusable packaging, CauliBox packaging is used, tracked, returned, and washed, eliminating single-use waste, and ensuring the packaging always comes back into circulation. We are proud to be championing them and working together to reduce our environmental footprint and fostering a culture of sustainability. Together, we have achieved the following so far: 🥗 Reused 116,728 CauliBoxes 🚗 Reduced 27,401kg CO2 (equivalent to driving a petrol car 5.5 times around the world)  📦 Prevented 280m3 material waste (which can fill 28 large lorries) 🥐 Given out over 4,000 loyalty rewards (delicious pastries, beverages, sides and mains) to guests for their custom and sustainable behaviour Gavin Gooddy Stephanie Robertson DipWSET Luxey Dayanandan RNutr #plasticfreejuly #eliminatesingleuseplastic #sustainability

🌟 We recently hosted our annual conference at LSBU, centered around the empowering theme of "Own It"! 🌟 The event was a tremendous success, featuring a diverse array of speakers from across the industry who shared their insights and expertise. The day was filled with inspiring talks, engaging discussions about DEI and neurodiversity, alongside valuable networking opportunities. Our executive team shared their thoughts on the conference and highlighted some key moments. Check out the video below to hear their insights and learn more about this incredible event. Together, we are committed to owning our roles, driving innovation, and setting new standards in the industry. #RestaurantAssociates #OwnIt #AnnualConference #IndustryLeaders #Innovation #Teamwork #Inspiration Matt Thomas Sue Thompson Adam Thomason Dirk Talsma Pete Champain Gavin Gooddy Victoria Marshall Chartered MCIPD Sara Senior Pete Champain Compass Group UK & Ireland Carol Sommerville

We are delighted to share the news that Restaurant Associates UK and Rapport Guest Services have been shortlisted for six prestigious awards at this year's Foodservice Catey Awards! The nominations include: 🏆 Best Use of Innovative Technology Award 🏆 Business and Industry Caterer of the Year 🏆 Front of House Team of the Year 🏆 General Manager of the Year 🏆 People and Training Award 🏆 CSER Award This incredible recognition highlights the team’s hardwork, dedication and unwavering commitment to delivering exceptional service and innovation to our clients and across all our venues. Congratulations to all the nominees. We look forward to celebrating everyone’s achievements at the awards ceremony in October. Best of luck team! #goodluck #FoodserviceCateys #Awards #Innovation #RestaurantAssociates #RapportGuestServices #TheCaterer

Consumer trends indicate a growing demand for low and non-alcoholic options when dining out and according to a recent Lumina Insight report, 26.3% of 18–24-year-olds view themselves as non-drinkers. We take equal care in crafting our drink menus as we do our food menus because we want our guests to experience the same amount of wow factor in their beverages. At our restaurants and venues, we are proud to offer low2no ranges, so that every guest can take part in celebrating key occasions. One of our favourite non-alcoholic wines being Wild Idol Alcohol Free Sparkling Rose. 🍇 Hand-crafted from a superior blend of grapes, vegan and gluten-free and rich with delicate bubbles – it is the perfect alternative to alcohol for those who want to drink less, without compromising on taste. 🍇 What is the most popular non-alcoholic drink on your menu right now?! 🍸 #nonalcoholic #alcoholfree #wildidol #drinksmenu #hospitality 

🌍✨ At Restaurant Associates UK, we believe in the power of variety to enhance the dining experience. Offering a diverse range of cuisines, styles, and tastes allows us to cater to the unique preferences of our guests. Our global food program features authentic menus from Japanese and Thai to Mexican and Sri Lankan, ensuring there's something for everyone to enjoy. 📊 According to recent statistics, 82% of Brits now regularly enjoy international cuisines, with Japanese, Thai, and Mexican dishes leading the way. Additionally, the popularity of Poke dishes has surged, with a 30% increase in searches for Poke recipes and restaurants over the past year. 🥗 One of our latest offerings, the Hawaiian Poke menu, has been a hit across our estate. The combination of healthy and tasty ingredients, such as fresh fish, vibrant vegetables, and flavourful sauces, allows for endless customisation, creating dozens of unique dishes that cater to diverse palates. 🌶️ At Restaurant Associates, we embrace the philosophy that variety is the spice of life. By using the finest and freshest ingredients, we create personalized food offers that align with consumer insights and tastes. Our commitment to quality and innovation ensures that every meal is an unforgettable experience. #RestaurantAssociates #GlobalCuisine #Poke #FoodInnovation #DiverseDining #HealthyEating #FreshIngredients #CulinaryJourney Adam Thomason Anne (G) Atkinson Compass Group UK & Ireland Ian Human Photo by Jodi Hinds

What an incredible evening at our Social Value and Summer Drinks event! 🌟 Hosted at one of our client’s fabulous rooftop venues, we started the evening with two insightful panel discussions around the purposes of social value and social mobility. Head of Wellness and Sustainability, Luxey Dayanandan RNutr, led the social values panel, with CEO of Social Value UK, Isabelle Parasram OBE, Head of Wholesale at Ozone Coffee Vanessa Martin, and Sustainability Specialist from Foodbuy UK&I, Maya Gadhvi. They defined social value and discussed how it plays an integral part in both the supply chain and procurement processes. Compass Group's Chief People Officer Carol Sommerville, Jack Kelley from West Lea School, and Laura Rigden, Founder of It's a Playground, all expertly led by our Head of People and Culture, Victoria Marshall Chartered MCIPD, proceeded to discuss how education and awareness can support social mobility through fantastic projects and internship programmes. One of the standout moments was when our CEO, Matt Thomas, gave a concise summary of both discussions and highlighted that at the heart of each debate is the "impact on people." He emphasised how important it is for us, as a business, to continue building a work environment that is inclusive and supportive for everyone we interact and collaborate with. We rounded off the evening in style with our own English Sparkling Cuvee and delicious bowl food expertly prepared by our team of chefs – in partnership with our suppliers, with wonderful provenance and social value stories attached. Gavin Gooddy, Ming Lai, Adam Thomason, Sara Senior, Abby Hughes. #thoughtleadership #socialvaues #socialmobility #socialvalueUK #restaurantassociates

We are thrilled to have teamed up with chef and nutritionist Clare Gray MSc, RD, who offers a fresh and innovative perspective on wellness eating. Her recipes all feature seasonal ingredients and emphasise how important locally grown food is for the environment and our health. With her extensive knowledge in nutrition and her passion for more sustainable food choices, we are excited to bring a new culinary dimension to our guests. Our new menus, featuring a delightful array of dishes from breakfast to events, include these mouth-watering highlights: 🍽 Asparagus, broad bean & ricotta frittata 🍽 Cobnut, tahini & dukkah breakfast bar 🍽 Carrot, red lentil & coconut curry with crispy trout & coriander, curry leaf salsa 🍽 Elderflower frozen kefir with roasted blackcurrants Her dishes all have low carbon rating and not only taste fabulous but also support our guest’s wellbeing journeys. You can visit Clare Gray's dedicated webpage to learn a little bit more about her - https://rb.gy/q4r3ik #wellnesseating #healthylifestyle #nutritious #seasonality 

We are delighted to announce that Pete Champain has been appointed as the Growth Director for Restaurant Associates Group, effective immediately. Pete has been covering this role throughout the year with remarkable dedication and success, and we are thrilled that he has decided to join us full-time. Pete brings over three decades of experience in sales, innovation, and operations at Compass Group UK&I to our team. His expertise and passion are invaluable assets as we continue to grow and evolve. This year, we have celebrated several outstanding wins, including Riverstone, the Design Museum, and several major financial brands joining our estate. These successes are a testament to the teams collective hard work and commitment to excellence. Pete shared his enthusiasm for the role, stating: "I am so thrilled to be joining the Restaurant Associates Group; a fabulous team who are wholly centred on providing the very best in hospitality for its customers. I look forward very much to supporting the growth of this outstanding business." Restaurant Associates UK The Caterer Restaurant Associates Venues Compass Group UK & Ireland Rapport Guest Services