The catering operations manager at RAF Northolt, Sergeant Stew Thorpe, who has cooked for the Duke of Edinburgh, has been named as RAF Caterer of the Year 2013.
Sergeant Thorpe has been based at RAF Northolt since 2010, and overseas the quality and delivery of food provided within the three Pay As You Dine messes at the site.
He led the catering team for a formal dinner night in in the officers’ mess with Prince Philip as the principal guest, and received personal thanks from His Royal Highness for producing 'classic, exquisite' food.
He has helped RAF Northolt build its reputation as the venue of choice for prestigious RAF and defence organisation conferences and formal dinners and effectively works three job roles in one; officers mess head chef; catering retail and leisure operations manager and partnering officer.
But despite the workload, he has also transformed a down-heartened team into a motivated workforce, which has in turn improved food quality, choice and availability across the three messes and station retail outlets.
“I am thrilled to have been given this award,” said Sergeant Thorpe.
“It is great to know that something which I enjoy so much as a career is appreciated and recognised by others.”
He has also developed affordable gastro pub-style menus which have been adopted up by RAF stations nationwide and is currently running pilot schemes aiming to enhance the general customer-experience at RAF Northolt, including changing meal times, computerised ordering and a monthly restaurant-experience themed evening.
