Poynter, who oversees the Chester Boyd and Ampersand catering divisions, was officially admitted to the esteemed livery company, which is the smallest of London’s livery companies and one of the oldest, at a special ceremony held at Innholders Hall.
It is the second prestigious honour bestowed upon the chef this year following her winning of the Banqueting and Event Chef Award at the Craft Guild of Chefs Awards 2017.
“It’s a great honour to be made a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Cooks of London,” said Poynter.
“Its support of the catering industry and charitable activities is inspiring and I’m grateful for this opportunity to get more involved in the excellent work being done to raise the profile of our industry and to attract new young talent.”
Poynter was first appointed sous chef at the London-based Chester Boyd in 2000 and has since risen through the ranks at CH&Co Group.
Robin Bidgood, managing director of CH&Co group commercial, said the chef is known for her exceptional skills, impeccable standards and the ability to blend creativity and innovation with the precise formal traditions that catering for London’s Livery Halls demands
He said: Karen absolutely deserves this honour and the entire team is very proud of her. She’s very humble about her incredible talent and it’s great that she’s been recognised in such a prestigious way.
“Her dedication to her craft and to the industry is second to none and she’ll add tremendous value to the work of the Worshipful Company of Cooks of London.”
As well as supporting the industry through her work with the Craft Guild of Chefs and the Worshipful Company of Cooks, Poynter also does work for the Academy of Culinary Arts and the Springboard Charity.
The Worshipful Company of Cooks added: "We are delighted to welcome Karen Poynter as a new Freeman. She brings with her a wealth of professional experience, wisdom and talent that will help us in pursuing our primary objective, to promote the craft of cookery within the City of London.
"We operate our own apprentice scheme and expect that Karen's background and stature within the industry will not only serve to inspire our apprentices but also reinforce the company's own standing within the City."