Event Timings

9.00am	Arrival and Refreshments
9.30am	Seated Continental Breakfast
9.50am	'Prove It: A Bitesize Guide to Education Catering' presented by Stephanie Brillouet, UK & I Marketing and Innovation Director, Delifrance
10.00am	Seated Full English Breakfast
10.45am	Refreshments and Networking
11.15am	Insight Session presented by IGD
11.30am	Panel Discussion plus audience Q&A
12.30pm	Cash bar in the Rotunda and Networking on the Terrace / Guests Depart

The Event

Taking place in the heart of the vibrant Kings Cross area of London overlooking the Regents Canal this event brings together an expert panel of speakers focussing on the trends within Education Catering and how caterers have made a positive impact within the education catering sector.  Our speakers are:-

• Tracey Smith, CEO - Schools and Universitites, Sodexo UK & Ireland
• Luke Consiglio, Founder and CEO, The Pantry
• Deborah Batchelor, Managing Director and Owner, Stir Food
• Meg Hughes, Director of Nutrition and Sustainability, Compass Education

One of the key areas to be discussed is what the proposed new government food standards mean for schools and caterers moving forward.  The new food standards aim to make school meals healthier, lower in sugar, higher in fibre, and more aligned with modern nutrition guidance. They focus on improving children’s health, reducing processed foods, and ensuring consistency across all schools. The Department for Education describes the update as “the most ambitious overhaul of school food in a generation,” however catering providers have raised concerns about the financial pressures of implementing healthier, more labour‑intensive menus without additional funding.

In addition to the above, our panel will also explore how food quality, nutrition, service delivery, innovation, challenges and opportunities are impacting catering within the education sector.

Agenda

At this event, guests in attendance will experience the following:-

Inspiring insight presented by IGD:  the event will begin with an inspirational session looking at the trends within education catering.  Catering in the UK education sector is a complex but significant part of the Away From Home market, serving around 1.3 billion meals annually and accounting for 13% of total volume. This session will set the scene for the panel discussion by outlining the sector’s scale, structure and key dynamics. It will provide a clear overview of the sector’s unique operating environment and touch on the factors shaping both current performance and future opportunity which the panel will explore in more detail.
Panel Discussion ‘Feeding the Future: Rethinking Catering in Education’ with our panel of education catering experts
Seated Breakfast:  Guests will enjoy a Continental and Full English Breakfast within the Battlebridge Room of Kings Place overlooking the Terrace and River.  There will also be a networking opportunities throughout the whole event.

Tickets are strictly limited to 120 guests so book early to avoid disappointment.  

Meet our Speakers

Tracey Smith, CEO, Sodexo Schools & Universities UK

Tracey Smith is CEO of Sodexo’s Schools & Universities business in the UK & Ireland, where she is responsible for shaping how services evolve to meet the changing needs of clients and students, balancing quality, value, sustainability and social impact.

With more than 35 years’ experience across the hospitality and services sector, Tracey has built her career at the heart of education catering. She brings a rare end-to-end perspective, having started her career as a chef before going on to roles spanning operations, business development and strategic growth across leading catering providers.

Tracey’s leadership focuses on long-term partnerships with education providers, driving innovation in service delivery, and ensuring catering plays a central role in student wellbeing, experience and outcomes. She is particularly passionate about modernising education catering to reflect today’s challenges: from funding pressures and evolving student expectations, to the need for more sustainable, inclusive and flexible food offers. She champions collaboration between industry and education, recognising that the future of catering lies in listening to students and co-creating solutions that deliver both commercial and social value. 

Luke Consiglio, Founder and CEO, The Pantry

Luke Consiglio is the founder and CEO of The Pantry, an award-winning education catering company recognised across the UK for its commitment to fresh, nutritious school meals. The Pantry has grown from a local provider into a nationally respected name, known for its service excellence, innovation and strong values-driven approach.

In recent years, The Pantry has received some of the catering industry’s highest honours, including LACA Contract Caterer of the Year, a Foodservice Catey Award for Education Catering, Supreme Family Business of The Year Award, and Public Sector Catering Award for Catering Company of the Year.

Alongside his role at The Pantry, Luke serves as a Director of The School Food People (formally LACA), and Co-Chair of the London & Southeast Region. He is a passionate advocate for the industry, consistently championing the importance of healthy meals while challenging funding constraints and broader issues facing the sector.

Deborah Batchelor, Managing Director and Owner, Stir Food

Deborah is the Managing Director and Owner of Stir Food, bringing over 20 years of catering experience alongside a background in teaching—a unique combination that gives her a deep, practical understanding of school environments. After working extensively within large global organisations, she founded Stir Food with a clear purpose: to make a meaningful difference to the health and wellbeing of future generations.

As a former teacher and parent of school-age children, Deborah is passionate about child development and the vital role nutrition plays in supporting it. She remains closely connected to day-to-day operations, attending review meetings and regularly visiting sites to ensure services reflect each school’s values and community.

An accomplished leader, Deborah is known for building strong client relationships, developing high-performing teams and turning strategic vision into operational success - always with a focus on quality, sustainability and positive outcomes for pupils.

Meg Hughes, Director of Nutrition and Sustainability, Compass Education

Meg Hughes is Director of Nutrition and Sustainability for Compass Education, part of Compass Group, where she leads a team of 35 nutritionists and sustainability experts supporting over 2000 sites nationwide.

A Registered Nutritionist in Food and Public Health, Meg brings 15 years’ experience in the school catering sector and has designed and delivered award‑winning education programmes on food, nutrition and sustainability for children aged 4–18.

Meg plays a key role in shaping the future of school food policy in the UK. She sits on the advisory board for the School Food Standards, contributing to both the current framework and the forthcoming revised standards, and is a member of the DfE catering working group and the APPG for School Food. She is also Co-Chair of the FASE allergen management working group, bringing together contract caterers to share best practice across education settings, and is a former trustee of the Children’s Food Trust.

An award-winning nutritionist, Meg and her team have been recognised through multiple industry accolades, including Footprint and LACA awards, reflecting Chartwells’ impact beyond the plate.

Meg is passionate about ensuring every child has the opportunity to enjoy food, explore new flavours, understand where food comes from, and develop the skills and confidence to cook—helping to inspire a lifelong love of food. Outside of work, she is a proud mum to two young children, Henry and Freddie.

Meet our Panel Host

Nicola Knight, Head of Away from Home, IGD

Nicola specialises in providing insight on global strategic developments in the away from home and food to go sectors for clients such as Sysco, Kraft Heinz, Coca-Cola, Compass and Greggs.

With over 20 years’ experience, she is one of the creators of IGD's away from home market forecast and unique total consumption view of the UK food and drink market.