Noel Mahony wins Outstanding Contribution Award at the 2023 Foodservice Cateys

13 October 2023 by News Desk

Noel Mahony, executive director at WSH Group, has received the Outstanding Contribution Award at the 2023 Foodservice Cateys in recognition of his dedication to the industry over an almost 40-year career.

As well as being pivotal in the launch of BaxterStorey, he has been central to the growth of the business both in the UK and overseas and has given up his time to support industry initiatives such as Springboard as well as homeless charity House of St Barnabas.

Alastair Storey, chairman and chief executive of WSH, said of his win: "Noel is the absolute epitome of what hospitality is all about and his selfless passion and commitment to our industry is really like no other.

"He is truly an unsung hero in our industry and his unwavering continued commitment to our sector is a huge inspiration to so many people."

Green and Fortune chief executive John Nugent said Mahony's "non-fussy" style and influence in the sector made him a "worthy winner" of the award. "He is liked as much alongside his contemporaries and competitors, as he is amongst the people in his own organisation."

Nominees from across the foodservice industry gathered for the awards ceremony at the Royal Lancaster London hotel on 13 October.

Mahony was honoured alongside Sodexo's Government Division, which won the Extra Mile award for its work catering for thousands of military and government personnel following the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022 and around the coronation of Charles III in May.

Mark Baker, chief operating officer for the Sodexo Government Division, described the time as a "blend of huge sadness and great pride", and the caterer's work was acknowledged with a personal letter of thanks from the King himself.

The evening's other winners included Eurest, which triumphed in four categories including Front of House Team of the Year, Chef of the Year, Chef Manager of the Year and the CSER Award.

Houston & Hawkes won the tightly fought Business and Industry Caterer of the Year category. Since launching in 2019, the self-funded caterer has gained a B Corp certification and shown impressive growth, with a team of 150 now servicing 22 clients.

There were three winners from Amadeus, with Craig Hancox named General Manager of the Year, John Rushton-Jones winning Trainee Chef of the Year, and Valentine Rey taking home the Rising Star Award.

Green & Fortune was named Boutique Caterer of the Year and Event Caterer of the Year, while the Genuine Dining Co received the Innovation Award for its launch of the world's first mental health-focused coffee shop in London.