Name: Geoff Boycott
Job title: Site Lead Chef at Billington Foodservice Kitchen
How long have you been with Billington Group? Nearly three years
Describe a typical day in your role:
I’m responsible for ‘The Kitchen’ chefs team and a typical day for me really varies. Tasks might include:
- Developing new products for our customers.
- Meeting with different departments from across the business to support successful launches of concepts.
- Presenting our ideas and developments to customers.
- Managing the admin that comes with concept development – looking at the costings, sourcing raw materials, the packaging amongst other things.
What’s the best part of your job?
Seeing concepts developed in our kitchen reach customer menus, it’s a really interesting and exciting process to be a part of!
What makes the food/agriculture sector exciting to work in?
I’ve worked in this industry for over 30 years – working my way up from scraping pork pie tins clean in a Yorkshire butchers for £1 an hour, to developing million pound lines for some of the big high street customers. What will always make it exciting for me is making people happy with food that you have created.
What do you think the next big thing for food/agriculture will be?
Ingredients grown in space!
Can you describe Billington Group in three words?
Fast-paced, challenging and rewarding.
Now a bit more about you….
Coffee or tea?
Neither – I’m not a fan of hot drinks.
Best sandwich filling?
Ham, cheddar cheese and a decent pickle – is there a better sandwich filling?
Favourite meal?
A proper Sunday roast with all the trimmings!
Favourite weird food combinations?
Iced Christmas Fruit Cake and Wensleydale cheese, a Yorkshire classic – don’t knock it until you try it!
Ideal Saturday?
A family walk and lunch at a country pub, then back home for my fishing prep for Sunday (I’m a keen match angler!!) Oh, and three points for my beloved Leeds united.