An Acton-born entrepreneur has been awarded an MBE in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List for services to the hospitality industry.
Wendy Bartlett is co-founder and chief executive of award-winning Egham-based business caterer, Bartlett Mitchell.
She launched her food-service company in 2000 with business partner and Chairman, Ian Mitchell, and today the company has a turnover of £30 million and has more than 700 employees operating at 85 sites across London, the South East, the South West and Glasgow.
Ms Bartlett said: “I was completely overwhelmed to hear this news. I’ve spent my entire career in the hospitality industry. It’s an amazing industry to work in and I hope my award is an inspiration for other people to work in it because it can be so rewarding and has opportunities for people with all levels of skills.
“I would never have dreamt when I started my Ealing College course all those years ago that I would have had such a rewarding and challenging career.
“Bartlett Mitchell is a thriving business that has great opportunities for others and my success is down to a great team and their back up.”
Bartlett Mitchell also won new business, which will be worth more than £42m in turnover over the next five years.
Ms Bartlett is also on the Board of the British Hospitality Association, the Advisory Board of Royal Holloway University, has been inducted into the Women 1st Top 100 Women in Hospitality, is a Trustee of award-winning My Daddy is a Soldier adventures charity, and was named by the SRA (Sustainable Restaurant Association) as one of the Top 10 Most Powerful Sustainable People.
