The Expo, which is FREE to attend, aims to bring together chefs and caterers from across all areas of the public sector – from schools to hospitals, universities, catering colleges, the social care sector, prisons through to the military.
The programme and features have been developed to engage with contacts at all levels from chief executives, through to unit catering managers and chefs.
The Expo events will address the areas of common concern that the public sector shares – working to tight budgets, nutritional regulation, recruitment and retention, training, mental health and allergens – as well as tapping into key catering trends such as meat-free diets.
Highlights include:
- Chris Packham, CBE, the BBC TV Springwatch presenter, will be delivering a keynote address that looks at the enormous damage to the planet, and life on it, that is being done by the way humans consume food and material goods.
- Victoria Prentis, Minister of State The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, will be delivering a keynote via Zoom, where she will outline the Government’s vision for public sector food and catering, the proposed changes to this policy area and how people can share their views on the new proposals.
- Dr Rupy Aujla, founder of ‘The Doctor’s Kitchen’ will be hosting ‘Public Sector Catering Kitchen’ on the second day of the Expo, where he will chat with leading public sector chefs about their work and daily challenges while they demonstrate some dishes they prepare for their customers.
The Expo will host Exercise Joint Caterer, the flagship event for Armed Forces chefs and catering teams. A tri-service competition with a wide range of culinary classes, it will take place over two-days at the Expo.
The event is supported by the key industry associations representing the public sector catering industry all of whom will be available over the two days for visitors to talk with to and find out more about the work they do across the industry and the benefits of working with them.