More than 200 BaxterStorey team members came together to mark the company’s annual people awards this week, recognising hospitality trailblazers across the UK, Ireland and Europe.
Held at the Honourable Artillery Company in London, the awards brought together colleagues from England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Norway, France and the Netherlands to celebrate teams and individuals who have significantly contributed to BaxterStorey’s success over the course of the last 12 months.
The BaxterStorey award went to Tabitha Kirby for her continued committment to her role, her team, the company and the wider community.
At the age of just 27, Kirby was promoted to Account Director in September 2023, marking a pivotal moment in her career. Her role in re-energising one of the company’s contracts from a busy London location to one of BaxterStorey’s flagship accounts is testament to her vision for both the client and her team.
She has mentored five chefs through the BaxterStorey Chef Academy; successfully pursued previously untapped avenues, such as delivering hospitality services to smaller satellite buildings across East London. These contracts have delivered an additional £750,000 worth of sales.
She has also offered her support to drive charitable initiatives, such as a collab with Romy Gill for Comic Relief which raised £3,500, as well as overseeing charity events to raise money for the Springboard Cambodia Trek. She has also forged close ties with The Felix Project in an effort to combat food waste.
Other BaxterStorey team members to be recognised on the evening include:
Chef of the Year: Jess Simpson
Front-of-house Star of the Year: Gail Nestor
Manager of the Year: Sharon Hollywood
Support Champion of the Year: Amy Fuller
Chef Manager of the Year: Andrejs Aleksejevs
Operator of the Year: Sam Smith
Game-changer of the Year: Project Knead
Game-changer Special Award: Soul Hut @BCU
Team of the Year: BA Lounges
Rising Star of the Year: Anais Ko- Alar
KP of the Year: Victor Shooter
This awards were BaxterStorey’s biggest yet and included seven dedicated regional events to recognise team members in their localities.
Candidates are nominated by their teams or managers and those who get through to the final shortlist are judged by WSH colleagues, as well as a number of high-profile leaders from across the industry including Chris Gamm, Springboard CEO, and chef partners Thuy Diem Pham and Bettina Campolucci Bordi.
This year, BaxterStorey saw a 314% surge in nominations, following the regional approach.
Ronan Harte, CEO, BaxterStorey, said: “ I am incredibly proud to work with so many hugely talented and passionate people.
“It has always been our belief that we want to encourage our team members to flourish and express their true selves. By celebrating their individuality, we are not only able to have a happier team, but will also provide a better service to our clients and customers.”
