Meet a catering manager...Bev

Food has always been a huge part of my life. I grew up in Trowbridge, around 15 miles from Chippenham, and some of my earliest memories are of cooking with my mum and nan in the kitchen. Looking back now, I think that’s where my love for food really began, even though I didn’t realise it at the time.

When I left school, I honestly had no idea what I wanted to do. Back then, it felt like everyone either became a hairdresser or a secretary. I knew straight away that office work wasn’t for me because I’m not really a sit-down person, so I tried hairdressing instead. It didn’t last long — I quickly realised I wasn’t very good at it.

That’s when I decided to try catering and hospitality through an apprenticeship course. At first, I really struggled. Kitchens were very different back then and chefs could be quite intimidating. I didn’t do very well in my first year and started questioning whether it was the right path for me.

Everything changed when I started working at the Nestlé factory. I worked in the factory in Staverton alongside my college course. They really encouraged me there and gave me more responsibility, which completely changed my confidence. I suddenly realised how much I enjoyed cooking and being part of a kitchen team. By the end of my second year, I won Most Improved Student, which meant such a lot to me at the time.

I’ve worked for Pilgrims’ Friend Society for 13 years. After having my son, I worked in various catering jobs across Wiltshire before joining Leonora Home (Pilgrims’ Friend Society’s former home in Chippenham) where I worked as a cook on weekends initially and then full-time for eight years. I then joined Middlefields House when it first opened five years ago.

The reason I’ve stayed so long is because of the people. We all work really well together here and support each other through everything. Don’t get me wrong, the job can be challenging at times— it’s quite stressful planning and managing meals every day, and you can’t please everyone all of the time. But it’s such a positive environment to work in, and it really helps me to do the best job I can.

We also work closely with Ana in the coffee shop. We provide the food and daily specials, which adds variety and keeps things exciting for customers and family members who like to enjoy the shop. That said, preparing set meals for our family members are always our top priority, and everything we do in the kitchen is centred around them and their needs.

One of my favourite things about working at Middlefields House is the connection we have with family members. Margaret grows vegetables like spinach and pumpkins in the garden for us to use in the kitchen, and some family members help peel potatoes and carrots for meals. Shirley even made Welsh cakes from scratch once and Santa, my cook, baked them for her. Those moments are really special because food genuinely brings people together.

Stepping into a leadership role was a challenge for me at first because I’m not naturally confrontational. At Leonora House, I worked mostly by myself, so suddenly leading a team felt very different. Over time, though, I’ve realised leadership is about supporting people properly and communicating in the right way. I always try to lead with kindness and respect.