Welcome to Sidcot, Kate!
Kate Watson joined Sidcot on 22nd November as Catering & Domestic Manager.
"I joined the School at a particularly busy time, just prior to Christmas. What struck me immediately was that everyone I met, was so supportive and welcoming."
Kate's catering career started at college in Leicester where she studied Hospitality and Institutional Management.
"I had always been interested in food from a young age, and had been fortunate to holiday for the summer months in the South of France. My parents had always encouraged me to try different foods and I soon got a taste for French cuisine!"
After graduating from college, Kate moved to Surrey and commenced a catering career, working in hotels, restaurants, large scale and contract catering. She secured a Sous Chef role at Mars Pedigree and later progressed to Catering Manager at their confectionery site in Slough, Berkshire.
In 1998 Kate joined The John Lewis Partnership, working for Waitrose. This was the start of her Retail Management Career. "I got the opportunity to run departments ranging from Personnel, Training, Hospitality, Operations, Customer Service and Fresh Foods. I opened new branches, got to travel and work with many fantastic people. The retail trade taught me about pace, customer service, people and of course food! Your customer was 'King', everyday was different and change was constant."
"I am really looking forward to working with The Student Food Council at Sidcot to hear their suggestions and work with them in shaping our food offer. I was fortunate at Waitrose to represent our Council Forum and was an elected member for my branch – a suggestion I had was forwarded – and later went on to change one of our policies. It was important for me to join an organisation whose ethos and values count, and which are similar in its principles to what I am used to."
So what else does Kate enjoy in life outside of Sidcot? "I must admit, I am a 'Strictly' fan – I dance Latin and Ballroom. My favourite dance is the Argentine Tango, although I am only a sheer novice!"
Who would you invite to your dinner party? "If I could invite any guests to my dinner party it would have be, Peter Kay, Helen Mirren, Steve Jobs, Ant Middleton, Albert Einstein and Ed Sheeran – a cocktail of humour, intelligence both mental and physical, life experience and some good music to sing along to..."
If you have any questions or feedback for Kate, you can find her in the Housekeeping Office. Alternatively you could send her and email.