Welcome to our July 2023 blog – and our new website! Having survived the trials of the Covid-19
pandemic and following our move to new premises in West Drayton last summer, we are super
excited to show-off our new website. We have designed the site to be user-friendly and have
purposefully kept it simple and easy for our customers to navigate. We will be posting regular blogs
here so that you can keep up to date with current industry news and, of course, any extra-special
London Meat Co. announcements!
Like buses, good things seem to come along all at once; not only do we have new premises and a
fantastic new website, we have something exciting to announce…
The London Meat Co. are officially BRCGS START! registered! Being both a well-recognised and
renowned Global Food Safety Standard we felt that achieving BRCGS START! certification clearly
demonstrates to our clients just how important food and safety standards are to us. Operating a
rigorous certification scheme, BRCGS START! is specifically aimed at small to medium-size businesses across the supply chain. To gain certification The London Meat Co. has had to demonstrate that our
products and processes are safe, legal and of high quality, and that they meet the stringent BRCGS
START! benchmark for good manufacturing practice, thereby providing assurance for our customers.
In addition, BRCGS START! has been developed to work with businesses such as ourselves as we
grow, ensuring that our food safety systems grow safely with us and supporting us to achieve the full
standard over the coming years. For further information regarding BRCGS START! please visit their
website https://www.brcgs.com/our-standards/start/.
Finally, The London Meat Co. have been proud sponsors of, and skill practitioners for the Craft Guild
of Chefs Graduate Awards since its conception. Working together to achieve the Craft Guild’s
mission to ‘help young chefs to develop their skills and grow in confidence’ The London Meat Co. are
proud to share that this year the Craft Guild plans on celebrating 100 Graduate Award achievers in
2023!
Talented and ambitious chefs have an exciting opportunity to push themselves into the spotlight and
test their culinary skills at the Craft Guild of Chefs Graduate Awards. Over the last two decades, the
Guild has seen an incredible 93 chefs achieve the pass mark and join an impressive list of names in
the Graduate Awards ‘hall of fame’. Former achievers of the award include Mark Froydenlund,
Sophie Wright, Luke Selby and Ruth Hansom who have all gone on to have successful culinary
careers.
The Graduate Awards were founded and are still led by Steve Munkley who is Vice-President of the
Guild. He wanted to provide chefs in the early stages of their career with the opportunity to develop
the skills they learnt in training and refine them in the workplace. Known as an exam rather than a
competition, it provides a platform for chefs to progress to events such as Young National Chef of
the Year. Those who make the grade receive a host of prizes ranging from culinary trips of a lifetime
to products from the awards’ sponsors.
This year 12 chefs have made it through to the Kitchen and Pastry final and, along with The London
Meat Co’s very own Chris Burnham, will be heading out on a two-day Suffolk food tour this month
where they will visit: Aspalls Cider, Dingley Dell Farm, Pump Street Bakery and experience butchery,
(demo by Chris at The London meat Co.) fishmongery and dessert demos at Infusions4Chefs. The
lucky finalists will also enjoy an overnight stay at Ufford Park Hotel.
Graduate Awards founder Steve Munkley said: “Following our 20th anniversary celebrations last year
we are now just seven chefs away from celebrating 100 Graduate Awards Achievers and our
committee are determined to push through that goal this year. With support from mentors, our skills
demonstration videos and the memorable two-day trip for finalists, we’re determined we’ll be
celebrating this special milestone.”
The final exam for this year’s competition will take place at the University of West London on 1
September and the Graduate Awards Achievers 2023 will be revealed on 11 September at an
exclusive awards ceremony in London, so good luck to all of the finalists! If you want to find out
more about the Craft Guild of Chefs and how to become a member, you can find further details at
https://www.craftguildofchefs.org/.
