Catering Consultancy Bureau founder Peter Pitham dies age 66

The owner and founder of the Catering Consultancy Bureau, Peter Pitham, has passed away aged 66 following a lengthy battle with cancer.

Pitham dedicated his working life to the hospitality sector, with a career spanning over half a century and beginning with an apprenticeship at BP. He received a classical kitchen training before moving into catering management, where he managed BP's satellite units.

In 1985 he joined Croydon-based Catering By County, where he worked his way up to business development manager, and then moved to Gardner Merchant. During his time there the business was taken over by Sodexo. He launched a new East London regional office and also worked in the company's fine dining division before taking on the position of senior catering consultant.

In 1997 he moved from Sodexo to Baxter & Platts as national sales and marketing director and then onto Yes Dining as regional director.

Pitham launched the Catering Consultancy Bureau in 2002 in an attempt to improve the relationships between caterers and clients.

As a fellow of the Institute of Hospitality and a previous executive board member of the FCSI, he also recognised the need for an informal networking group for like-minded food service professionals and along with others, he set up the Hospitality Network Group in 2017 where he was elected as chairman.

Tributes have been paid to Pitham, who was described as having "boundless energy, enthusiasm and passion for the industry", as well as being "extremely professional, highly respected, kind, generous and always having time to offer help and advice to all when needed".

Managing director and principal consultant at the Catering Consultancy Bureau, Simon Harrington, said: "I thoroughly enjoyed working with Peter over the years, he was a true gentleman with a great sense of humour, and respected throughout the industry, he will be sorely missed. My thoughts are with Sally and Peter's family and friends."