The collaboration will see Gidda join Vacherin as a culinary consultant, working alongside head of food Alex Rowe and his team on menu and talent development. The partnership aims to attract young chefs to enjoy a career in contract catering, with a focus on women in food and championing racial equality within the sector.
With a background that includes The Roux Scholarship, Great British Menu and multiple television appearances, as well as her debut book Modern South Asian Kitchen, Gidda brings her ‘exciting, global approach’ to food and experience to Vacherin.
Gidda commented: "Vacherin is a business I have long admired, and I feel we have a natural synergy with our approach to hospitality and people development. Vacherin is a leader in its field, and this is an exciting time to be on board and a part of building not just the food offer, but how we encourage interaction and investment in the future of hospitality with our clients.
"I am passionate about encouraging the next generation of talent into hospitality, seeing more women in senior roles in food and creating spaces that are inclusive to celebrate our cultures. Innovation, collaboration and creativity are an essential part of the partnership, and I am looking forward to sharing the knowledge and expertise of my consultancy, brand work and personal experiences with the business.”
The partnership will focus on five key initiatives:
- The launch of a 'Next-Gen Talent Apprenticeship', tailored to Vacherin, aimed at nurturing young commis chefs and providing them with opportunities in the workplace catering industry.
- The promotion of Women in Food initiatives, creating clear career pathways and a support network for women across the Vacherin business.
- Ongoing concept creation – to establish an evolving range of dynamic, authentic menus across both workplace dining and hospitality.
- The ongoing development of the Vacherin food team – enhancing cookery skills through culinary masterclasses, beginning with a focus on South Asian and Italian cuisine.
- The establishment of a mentorship programme, to provide holistic support as well as specific mentorship around culinary competitions.
Phil Roker, Vacherin’s managing director, added: “Sabrina is a fantastic addition to the Vacherin team. Not only is she an amazing culinary talent that will enhance our client offer, her expertise and vision to futureproof the sector by attracting and developing young, diverse talent echoes our ambitions for our current and future teams.
“This partnership is so much more than a consultancy, it’s a true collaboration of likeminded people committed to doing the right thing by our people, clients and customers.”