Tracy Waters

A caterer with a reputation for consistently transforming school “canteens” into destination restaurants. Cucina work in partnership with schools to offer clients and customers quality, home-made, food in a restaurant style environment which is comparable to a High Street Restaurant. Cucina provide every school with their very own dedicated, trained, Executive Chef, turning Jamie Oliver's vision of healthy food service into reality! My role involves managing 12 restaurants across the South East – working in partnership with schools and clients to deliver food and service that both parties are proud of, as well as a ‘meal experience’ that our customers look forward to as part of their school day. I also oversee Health & Safety and Food Safety for the business. Key Responsibilities include: • Client relationship management • Budget and performance management • Day to day operational management • Managing and maintaining food and service standards • Manage a team of 12 Executive Chefs and a team of c. 150 • Motivating and inspiring site teams to exceed client expectations • Performance management, investigations, disciplinaries & dismissals • Team recruitment & training • Focus sessions, surveys and customer engagement • Encouraging chefs to be an ‘extension’ to the curriculum and an educating partner • Mobilisation of new contracts - transition and ongoing management • Sub-contractor negotiations, tendering and management • Marketing and communication initiatives • Auditing, monitoring and management of company brand/ quality standards • Project management - cashless install and restaurant & kitchen refurbishments • Day to day management of Food Safety and Health & Safety across the Cucina business and also The Oxford Kitchen Restaurant • Pro-actively managing food safety to ensure Food Hygiene Ratings of 4 and above are achieved

The core objective of my role was to provide strategic and management support across all elements of the commercial Catering Contract. As a key member of the senior management team, my key projects included: • Strategy development to achieve zero cost • Management of ‘Improvement Plan’ • Feasibility study to develop coffee/ deli bar operation • Introduction of high street commercial operators • Tendered Maintenance/ PPM Contract • Reviewed and tendered Dry Cleaning Contract • Compiled and negotiated sub-contractor contracts • Financial performance review • Implementation and management of KPIs and SLAs • Management of sub-contractors • Marketing strategies and plans • Client documentation & communication

This was a diverse role which involved developing, launching and managing a premium food and drink business. Key achievements during my time with North Highland Products Ltd. included: • Compiling the Business Plan for the company’s next stage of growth • Implementation and management of brand standards • Returning a financial premium in excess of £500K to farmers • Sourcing and managing fine food producers • Product launches • Organising and hosting trade and consumer events • Supply chain development • Actively sourcing and executing new sales leads across retail and foodservice markets • Account Management – national/ independent retailers, catering & hospitality clients, wholesale butchers and online sales • Achieved a host of industry awards including Best Retail Initiative (BBC Food & Farming Awards) and Best Example of Collaboration in Supply Chain (SF&D Excellence Awards). The product range included: • Premium beef & lamb • North Ronaldsay mutton • Sustainable seafood • Selection of Highland cheeses • Range of shortbreads, biscuits and oatcakes • Honey, conserves and chutneys • Whisky • Collection of tweed textile products

As a Management Consultant, I specialised in the business and industry sector, although also completed projects in the commercial shopping centre, visitor attraction, retail store and art venues. I was fortunate to work with high profile clients in the UK and abroad. As a Consultant my core role included: • Contract tendering • New build and existing catering strategy development • Contract transition management • Feasibility studies • Contract Management • Catering surveys and user group sessions • Capacity analysis • Subsidy reduction initiatives • Contract negotiations • KPI and SLA implementation and management • Operational and contract reviews • Marketing strategies and initiatives • Operational audits

This role was predominantly providing high-level assistance to the Directors and Management Consultant Team. The role involved: • Writing tender documentation and presentations • Analysing tender responses both operationally and financially • Preparing Heads of Terms and Quality Assurance Documents • Carrying out competition surveys throughout the UK and Europe • Designing and implementing operational audits • Compiling in-house marketing collateral • Desk and field research on consumer and market trends

Student placement gaining experience across all food and beverage departments, as well as the supporting functions of the hotel (Marketing, Sales, Events and HR).