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Life in the glare of publicity
Alastair Storey, born Aberdeen and CEO of BXS collected the accolade at this year's Catey's.
When BaxterStorey was awarded the catering contract for the brand-new BBC Scotland headquarters in Glasgow June 2006 it marked a turning point in the company's Scottish operations. With William Baxter and Scottish-born business partners Alastair Storey and Keith Wilson at the helm, the UK's largest independent contract caterer had until that point concentrated largely on supplying medium-sized businesses with their unique package of high quality, freshly made meals served with endearing smiles and a rare professional flair. However, with the new BBC Scotland contract to look after, the Catey's Foodservice Caterer of the Year 2007 must raise their game still higher.
Catering in Scotland went along to find out what keeps over 1,300 customers coming back day after day, when so many before them had abandoned hope of a decent meal at work…
Simon Houston is an enthusiastic, energetic and thoughtful young man. At just 24 and already BaxterStorey's General Manager at BBC Scotland's newly built restaurant, he is in charge of the day-to-day running of the company's most challenging and influential contract to date. Having risen through the ranks with the company over the past few years, he was offered the role of General Manager by BaxterStorey's Director for Scotland, Dawn Gallimore: "Simon has the enthusiasm and commitment required to lead our catering team, and he has an accurate eye for what the customers will want next," she says. "He has hit the ground running and is building strong relationships with our clients Johnson Controls and BBC Scotland."
As the lunchtime rush begins, Simon is well aware of the people starting to flow through the doors and he walks around asking the staff if they need anything to prepare for the afternoon ahead. "We serve over 400 hot meals here and 90% of the building here every day," he says in his trademark relaxed tone, "and this is in addition to the 600 customers we serve through in the coffee bar."
Never mind that in less than thirty minutes, every seat of the vast, open-plan restaurant will be filled with esurient journalists, broadcasters and administrators, all queuing semi-patiently for a midday slice of respite from the relentless pressure of live TV and radio.
Behind him, he knows his busiest time of day is quickly approaching and as we sit there watching the lunchtime throng as they line up in patient, hungry queues, it occurs to me just how important the workplace restaurant is; not only is it a place for eating and re-charging, it is equally a meeting point for friends to catch up, colleagues to debate issues of the day and where gossip is traded between departments. Essentially, it is the central hub of social activity in a working environment. Without it, enthusiasm, determination and ambition might cease to exist.
Simon takes up his position behind the hot-food counter, alongside BaxterStorey's Executive Chef, Colin Johnstone, who has begun to dish up the day's specials. Colin himself is equally welcoming and friendly, and he revels in being able to help serve the food that he and his team have spent all morning preparing:
"We have a large selection of dishes made freshly each day," he says. "Aside from the selection of salads, cold platters and fully stocked deli, we also make up many dishes that you wouldn't necessarily expect to see in a workplace menu; things like confit of duck with cassoulet of beans, which is today's special."
Together with his kitchen brigade, Colin's priority is to deliver a restaurant service by continually invigorating the menus to ensure the customers will keep returning. However, he has a secondary aim that underlines everything he does at the BBC Scotland, including serving at the counter:
"I've always encouraged our chefs to face the customers at serving time," he says. "It's important to be on hand to answer any questions, as well as to show you are proud of the food you have made. Being present when the food is served helps the customers to identify with it; then they know where the food comes from. We're trying to make this a special experience here, and it's the little things like presentation – we use fresh, grated parmesan, for instance – that contribute to the overall package. At the end of the day our goal is to add a restaurant touch to the food we offer."
As with all of their contracts throughout the UK, the company insists on preparing everything freshly on site. From main dishes to sandwiches and soups to smoothies – even premium yoghurts – all of their offerings are made in the kitchens behind the service counters. Simon Houston is convinced that this commitment is a big part of the reason why BaxterStorey were selected to become the caterers at the Scottish HQ of Britain's biggest broadcaster: "I think that as the healthy eating campaigns begin to have an effect on people, eventually the message has started to trickle down to where they choose to go for their workday meals. Because we prepare all our menu items from scratch, we can guarantee what's in them and that means we can answer any questions people might have about the provenance of a certain dish."
This, essentially, is what sets BaxterStorey apart; it's a willingness to try to push the envelope, a desire to be to be different and to quietly work away at what they do best while helping to change perceptions in the process.
As with any workplace eaterie, of course, there are the usual provisions of beans and chips and some bought-in brands of drinks, crisps and confectionary for those who prefer their more traditional dishes and established labels. However, Simon feels that the service BaxterStorey provides is about supplying what the customers want. He sees the remaining few who have yet to embrace the company's "freshly prepared" policy as a welcome challenge rather than a drawback:
"At the end of the day we provide what the customers want but it's encouraging to see a gradual shift in attitudes towards freshly made foods," he says.
"Utilising our customer-feedback forms we need to continually innovate and listen to what they would like to see in the restaurant. We have to ensure that they want to come here for their meals."
Another attraction for customers to the restaurant, aside from the choice and quality of the food, is BaxterStorey's staff. Like Executive Chef Colin Johnstone, other chefs from behind the scenes regularly nip out front at serving time to help with the three main mealtime rushes. Julian Macarthy, a chef in the main kitchen, is a favourite with the customers because he comes out to face them.
"Julian's a great guy, and a big hit with the customers" says Simon. "He's out there most lunchtimes, answering questions and having a good laugh with the BBC Scotland staff. He finds it easy to strike up a conversation with them, and he says things like "have a taste of this" and "you don't like it? But I made it!" It all adds to the friendly atmosphere of the restaurant."
And among the production staff, executives, journalists and administration assistants, the restaurant is home to a few familiar faces, too. When we visited, presenter Carol Smiley was queuing up at the hot-food counter, chatting animatedly with the chefs as she made her lunchtime meal choice, and Jackie Bird popped upstairs from the news desk to grab a healthy filled roll at the counter.
But in perhaps the most telling indication that times are changing for the better, David & Cary Grant from the BBC's Fame Academy paid a visit earlier this year while filming in the building. After meeting the staff and sampling the food on offer, they were quoted in the Corporation's newsletter later that month as saying: "It's the only BBC canteen that deserves to be called a restaurant."
Talk about singing its praises.
This article has been edited from its original version. For the complete feature, please see Catering in Scotland magazine November/December 2007.
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