[ 105 ] ONBOARD commitment to minimising food waste, but it also means we can collaborate with the community of UK growers. It’s an important relationship for our teams and customers to understand the environmental impact of our food waste.” Hospitality must also speak to a diverse range of customers. From families looking for an action-packed break with organised activities and food to keep everyone happy, to independent couples who look for a premium experience and food to rival high street choices or restaurant cuisine. On board, it’s important to strike a balance, exciting the new generation of travellers as well as maintaining the traditional service with which regular passengers and freight customers are familiar. On board P&O Ferries’ Ship of the Future, passengers will see familiar brands through to refined dining options which tap into current food and drink trends. “Great hospitality can make a travel experience,” underlines Delaroue. “We understand the important role great food and drink play in creating memorable experiences. Experts in the travel sector, our longstanding relationship with P&O Ferries sees us cater for passengers in the Club Lounge and Food Market, in addition to the dedicated space for freight customers, Commercial Drivers.” As Delaroue points out, BaxterStorey’s travel experience doesn’t stop there. “We’re trusted partners with British Airways (BA), providing hospitality for BA lounges at London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh Airports, in addition to BA head office and back-office functions. Working in the travel sector, we know how to be flexible, responding to changing footfall demands, preparing and serving food in unique environments, ensuring passengers have access to a variety of options, while also always being ahead of the curve when it comes to food and beverage trends.” SUPERCHARGING THE FUTURE OF FOOD ONBOARD When choosing the perfect getaway, customers are battling inflated travel costs and airport delays, inspiring more people than ever to explore ferry travel as an alternative option. The Ship of the Future will attract a more diverse customer base, a customer who cares about sustainable travel and who considers the journey very much part of the holiday experience. MEET THE CEO Ronan Harte, Chief Executive Officer at BaxterStorey, is behind the business’s obsession about food. When aged 16, he joined the industry as a chef, working in restaurants in Dublin, including the Michelin star restaurant ‘Les Frères Jacques’. He moved into the maritime sector when at the age of 21 he took the role of chef de partie on QE2, soon progressing to head chef of the iconic cruise ship’s firstclass restaurant, the Queens Grill. Stepping into an executive chef role was a turning point in his career which led to Ronan joining P&O Cruises to manage the design and plans for the food and beverage offer on new cruise ships. Since then, Ronan has worked across sectors, and his experience from the ground up has given him the unique ability to understand all levels of hospitality operations. Ronan is passionate about creating a pipeline of future talent, inspiring the food-obsessed with a business that puts huge emphasis on training and development through award-winning and industry-leading academies. He is a champion of food innovation and has grown a culinary team in the business who take a ‘hands in the flour’ approach to their craft.
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