Thomas Franks launches in London

The independent contract catering company has launched a new London-based division – Thomas Franks London – providing city corporate customers, their staff and clients with a new in-house catering and hospitality option.

Based close to the capital’s premier food market, Borough Market, Thomas Franks London provides full-service catering for employees, visitors and clients. Its freshly-cooked, seasonal and nutritious dishes are all created on-site using locally-sourced ingredients.

In creating the new venture, Thomas Franks has appointed new Managing Director Paul Hurren. Hurren has a wealth of experience in the hospitality industry, including previous roles that saw him heading up corporate fine-dining caterer Lusso, becoming a fellow of the Institute of Hospitality and chairing the Association of Catering Excellence (ACE). Hurren will be working alongside the founding leadership team, who have more than fifty years’ experience between them, and who have also previously worked with some of the capital’s finest hospitality destinations and businesses.

Candice Webber, who previously headed up the Food & Development team at Vacherin, and was the Executive Chef for Lusso and Peyton & Byrne joins Thomas Franks London as its Food Director.

Alongside Hurren and Webber is Michelle Jugessur, Business Development Manager, who joins from Bartlett Mitchell. She has extensive experience in cultivating meaningful and long-standing fruitful partnerships with a range of high-end organisations, including global law firms, FTSE 250 investment management firms, media companies and embassies.

Also joining the team is Christine Bailey, an award-winning registered nutritionist (British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine, BANT) and leading healthy eating expert, with more than 20 years’ experience in the health and food industry. She has authored more than 16 recipe and health books, and regularly appears in print and broadcast media as a nutrition expert. She has previously been awarded Coeliac Chef of the Year and received a CAM award for outstanding contribution to the community.

Anchor clients already in place at the launch include global investment management firm Barings. The team is also celebrating a new contract win with an international law firm, near St Paul’s.

Thomas Franks, under the leadership of Founder Frank Bothwell, has grown from strength to strength since its launch in 2005. Clients include domestic appliance expert Delonghi, Bibby Financial Services and Denman College (home of the National Federation of Women’s Institutes).

Paul Hurren, MD of Thomas Franks London, said: “There have been so many questions asked during the last 18 months about the future of the office and how employers can entice their staff back into the workplace. We know office life has undergone a permanent change, but we’re seeing the City, Canary Wharf and the West End in particular firing back into life and a shift in how employers are optimising their spaces. One way they’re choosing to make office working more appealing is ensuring the in-house catering offer is a draw card in and of itself. Put simply, London firms need to be offering something different and more enticing than what employees have been used to while working from home. Our new offer will help them deliver on that.

“Being a bespoke, intrinsically independent company means we can quickly respond to client requests and adapt to fit with their vision, requirements and high standards. Food brings people together and we’re extremely passionate about providing our customers with an experience, not just a meal. This has never been more important for city office environments even if hybrid working means workers are only tackling the commute for a few days each week. Having well-thought out, high-end catering provision on-site is going to be a really important offer for many businesses, from making sure their teams get the best morning coffee to offering in-house fine dining to their most important clients.”

Thomas Franks London will also be supporting the communities in which it operates, and reducing its carbon footprint and food miles, by hand-picking local and artisan suppliers to use the best of each season’s produce. The company is aiming to be a certified B Corporation by summer 2022.