From kitchen porter to soft services lead
After beginning his career as a kitchen porter more than three decades ago, Andy Norton has never forgotten those early roots. It’s a role that he still has huge respect for and one which kick-started a professional journey that has proved to be richly varied, exciting and challenging.
Andy is now Head of Soft Services at Sodexo’s contract with University College London (UCL). He shares his career highlights with us below.
Did you have a catering career in mind from an early age?
Not at all, in fact when I left school I planned to be a butcher and was about to sign up to a Youth Training Scheme. I was offered a kitchen porter job in a busy local restaurant in King’s Lynn and that’s where it started. I did a bit of cooking at home and always enjoyed it, so I liked to work among the chefs. I moved to London in the late 80s and trained on the job as a chef in several Soho and Chelsea-based restaurants.
How did you switch from a fine dining restaurant to contract catering?
Restaurant catering can be very demanding; often seven days a week and long hours. By the end of 1991 I was thinking ‘how long do I want to keep doing this?’ I took a year out and went travelling in South East Asia and Australia. When I came back I signed up with an agency who offered me an opportunity to work on the pastry section in a corporate contract with PwC. I’d always wanted to work alongside a pastry chef but when I arrived on the first morning I realised I was the pastry chef! So I was slightly thrown in at the deep end but I enjoyed it and must have impressed them as they eventually offered me a full time job as a hospitality chef.
Did you feel happy you’d made the move?
Absolutely. PwC was a huge contract and high profile. I was there for seven years from 1993 to 2000 and progressed into an executive chef role, then development chef. It was an ever-changing picture and I was involved in so many things, gradually moving away from the day-to-day chef role and lending my expertise to new business bids, devising all the menus and cost estimates. In many ways it was considered a flagship site and we were always being asked to host special events for clients, run promotions, share best practice and test new innovations. It was a buzzing ‘go-to’ team to be a part of.
It must have been hard to leave?
No, because my next role was equally absorbing! I was part of the bid team for the new HSBC Tower in Canary Wharf, and when we won it and mobilised I moved over as executive chef, and was promoted to general manager of retail and production. Logistically this was a complex role because of the sheer size of the building and customer numbers. But it was hugely exciting, and we had a catering team of more than 100, a 60-seat à la carte restaurant, nine retail/coffee bars, 20 private dining rooms, a 550-seat staff restaurant and even an on-site bakery. There were 11,000 customers registered on site. There were new challenges and experiences every day and it was a very vibrant environment to work in.
You’re now head of soft services at UCL. What led you to move further away from your catering roots?
I started at UCL in 2014 as retail director and really enjoyed the opportunity to develop new products and services for the student population. It was a very different business model for me, with 18 outlets across campus and the need to manage massive fluctuations in sales between term and non-term time. But we were really successful in expanding the business by tapping into the latest food trends – the rise of grab and go, vegan and plant based options and sustainable foods. Our catering contract ended in 2020 and that’s how I moved into soft services. Now I manage a team of 550, predominantly cleaners, over 150 buildings. A lot of the skills I acquired over the years are transferable. I’ve always embraced change, rather than resisted. I believe that to be successful you have to put yourself out there, get to know people around you, offer support on projects outside of your comfort zone and not just do the bare minimum.
How would you sum up your career?
I have had the pleasure to work with many great Sodexo people who have supported and mentored me on my journey. FM careers are ever changing and that’s why it’s suited me so well. I get bored easily, but with the constant opportunities I’ve had there’s never been a dull moment.
Why have you stayed with Sodexo?
It’s quite hard to believe how many different roles and opportunities I’ve experienced. That’s why I’ve never forgotten the importance of the kitchen porter role, and how many of today’s kitchen porters could potentially go on to have careers like mine. Also, I’ve always felt very comfortable with Sodexo’s culture and business ethics. It’s a family business, run with the best intention for its employees. It treats people with respect and supports their life journeys, both professional and personal.
In 2022, Andy was honoured at the Spirit of Sodexo Awards, highly commended in the Lifetime Achievement category. The judges noted how in his 29-year long career he has proved to be a ‘true ambassador for Sodexo, who demonstrates the brand values and is always exploring options to improve. His enthusiasm and excellent communication skills motivate and develop large teams and his ability to problem solve builds positive client relationships’.