Houston & Hawkes announces seven operational team appointments

Independent caterer Houston & Hawkes has announced seven senior appointments to support its growth.

Emilie Whiteoak, previously with BaxterStorey, has joined the business as account director and will oversee several of the group's key accounts. Marinela Golfita, who has joined from Thomas Franks London, and Steven Shaw have been appointed as operations managers in London and the home counties, respectively.

Acorn Award winner and Lou Willcock Scholarship finalist, Josh Key, has joined from Blue Apple where he was a business development manager, to take up the role of sales and marketing manager to provide support to the location teams.

The craft team, working alongside chef director David Steel, has been strengthened through the promotion of James Garred and Danny Keaney to development chefs, both of whom previously worked as head chefs within the business.

Finally, Lindsay Murphy has taken up the newly created role of support manager to focus on training, people development and projects.

Simon Houston, co-founder and director at Houston & Hawkes, said: "We are thrilled to announce the growth of our operational team and we are particularly proud that we have promoted a number from within. As our business continues to grow, we absolutely recognise that our success starts and ends with our teams and their ability to provide really high levels of quality support to our team members, customers, and clients."

Dave Hawkes, co-founder and director, added: "We are hugely positive about the future, and we are building an exceptional team which will enable us to continue our journey with agility and positivity. There is tremendous opportunity within the foodservice sector and the strength of our people will ensure we are well placed to support new and existing clients."

Houston & Hawkes was founded by Simon Houston and Dave Hawkes in 2019 and provides catering and hospitality services to business and industry clients across London and south-east England. The group became the first and only certified B Corp contract catering business in the UK in June 2022.

Phoographed (left to right): James Garred, Marinela Golfita, Josh Key, Simon Houston, David Steel, Emilie Whiteoak, Dave Hawkes, Steven Shaw, Lindsay Murphy, Danny Keaney