Frozen food distributor Central Foods engages new executive chef

Leading frozen food distributor Central Foods has expanded its team by engaging an experienced chef, who has worked with some of the largest UK foodservice operators and brands in the business.

Executive chef Paul Hunt will be showcasing products supplied by Central Foods and taking part in demonstrations and sampling sessions to help promote the range available.

He will also assist the development of products and recipes for chefs, using items supplied by the frozen food distributor, which will prove popular in foodservice outlets – helping them to grow their restaurants, bar food and other catering and hospitality operations.

In addition, Paul’s new role will help Central Foods to have a better understanding of the needs of the customers of their wholesaler customers – allowing the expanding firm to source and offer exactly what is needed in terms of foodservice products in the future.

Paul, aka The Skinny Chef, is a fully qualified chef who has undertaken recipe development work for key food manufacturers. He has also been responsible for putting food on the tables of high street restaurants and pub brands, as well as developing products for supermarkets in the UK and Europe.

Gordon Lauder, managing director at Central Foods, said: “Paul is extremely passionate about food and is an expert in his field. Not only does he speak the language of chefs, he also has a great insight into what customers want.

“We’re delighted to have him contracted with Central Foods to help us showcase the very wide range of products that we supply, and to develop recipes and products that chefs can be confident will prove popular with their customers, whether they are serving in pubs or bars, restaurants, business catering operations, sporting venues or leisure outlets.

“In due course, we will be uploading recipe videos to our website which we hope will inspire chefs with their menu ideas and highlight some of the latest trends that they can tap into.” 

Paul, who has more than 30 years of experience in food development, preparation and styling, has worked with major supermarkets, restaurant groups, wholesalers and food manufacturers.

Northamptonshire-based, he said: “I am proud and excited that I have been contracted with Central Foods as executive chef. My skill set is varied and includes customer product presentations from food service to wholesalers and manufacturers, menu and recipe development, food and concept development, food styling for photographers and most of all cooking.

“As a leading, long-standing frozen food distributor, Central Foods has an excellent reputation for insight into upcoming trends and for customer service, and I am looking forward to helping the company to build on that by promoting the products they supply and by creating menu ideas that will go down well with their customers and with their customers’ customers too.”

Central Foods, which is based at Collingtree near Northampton, supplies more than 220 independent wholesalers, as well as larger national and regional wholesalers. It also supplies to foodservice caterers across the entire foodservice industry, including pubs, hotels, restaurants, staff canteens, schools, hospitals, coffee shops, football grounds and universities.

Offering a one-stop shop to the foodservice sector, Central Foods sources products from around the world and the UK, supplying more than 400 different lines, ranging from meat, bakery items and canapés through to buffet products, desserts and puddings.

The company has steadily grown since it was founded 21 years ago, and recently was named for the first time in a report by Grant Thornton as being in the top 100 companies in Northamptonshire. The company was also a finalist in the Family Business United Family Business of the Year Awards 2017 for the Midlands.