With nearly 30 years of experience spanning the private, public, and voluntary sectors, food has always been the common thread in my work. Growing up in a working-class family, I saw firsthand the power of food to bring people together—my mum ran a community lunch club as a volunteer, and that early experience shaped my passion for using food as a tool for social change.

My career has taken me from rosette-standard kitchens to community development roles, including working as a Community Development Worker for a Sure Start programme in the early 2000s. In 2016, I founded Blend Kitchen, a social enterprise that grew from pop-up training cafés to a high-street training restaurant in under three years, creating opportunities for people facing barriers to employment.

I hold an MA in Working with Communities from the University of Sheffield, where my dissertation explored societal factors influencing the diets of young fathers. This academic foundation complements my practical experience and deep commitment to social justice, social mobility, and helping organisations achieve their social objectives.

Today, I work with businesses, charities, and public sector organisations to design and deliver strategies that create meaningful impact—because I believe food can be a catalyst for change.