In a statement, managing partners Kate Martin and Sue Parfett said: “It is with great sadness we have to announce that fellow managing partner Graham Sibthorp passed away suddenly
at home, during the late hours of Thursday 28th November.
“Graham was known as the ultimate English gentleman. He was also generous and kind.
“This was accompanied by a wry sense of humour, which anyone who knew him will always remember.
“Graham will be greatly missed by all his friends and colleagues.
Our thoughts at this sad time are very much with his family,
especially his wife Melanie and daughters, Imogen and Chloe.”
After being classically trained at Westminster College, Sibthorp worked at the Savoy Hotel and then gained his HCIMA professional qualification for the catering industry.
He subsequently worked in contract catering in which he gained huge and diverse experience at both management and director level.
In 1996, together with Martin and Parfett, he founded the Brookwood Partnership.
Today the company employs more than 1,400 people and serves more than 45,500 fresh meals each day to 94 independently run schools across the UK.
Brookwood has been ranked three times in The Sunday Times Top 100 Best Companies to Work For.