Members of the Communications Group
Michael began his illustrious career in education catering in 1989 in Tower Hamlets, eventually becoming Head of Contract Services. In 2016, he founded the Juniper Group in Newham, which employs 750 staff and provides catering, cleaning, and health and safety services to schools and businesses across East London, providing social value. Juniper has received national recognition for management achievements and innovation. Michael has earned accolades including a Catey award and Freeman of The City of London.
A LACA supporter for over 30 years, Michael served as National Chair in 2018-19, lobbying MPs on junk food advertising near schools and UIFSM funding. He will become national chair again in September 2025 and champions the public sector on the Southeast regional committee for the Institute of Hospitality.
A great advocate for universal free school meals for all pupils of all ages, he is determined to continue to do all he can to see this achieved before retirement beckons with a large gin and tonic with his wife on the beach in Spain.
As a qualified chef, with City & Guilds 706/1/2/3, Kath began her career in the private sector before moving to the public sector in 2009, progressing from frontline roles to her current position as development chef leading initiatives in menu development, allergen management, food cost control, compliance with School Food Standards, special diets, and recipe development. Collaborating closely with suppliers she looks for emerging food trends and is dedicated to enhancing the food culture for pupils and works with various stakeholders to achieve this goal.
Kath joined the board in September 2024, representing the Yorkshire and Humberside region. Her involvement with LACA began in 2017 as an active member of the regional committee, and she has served as the regional treasurer since 2021.
Kath's LACA journey started in 2010 when she first entered the School Chef of the Year (SCOTY) competition, where her dedication and innovation won her the national title in 2016. Kath’s exceptional contributions to education catering have been recognised with prestigious awards, including Educatering Excellence Primary School Caterer of the Year 2016. Her accolades include Y&H LACA Outstanding Contribution to Education Catering 2023, APPG Excellence in School Food – Best Individual 2024, Public Sector Catering – Chef of the Year 2024, and Craft Guild of Chefs – Public Sector Chef 2024.
Outside of her professional responsibilities, Kath is actively engaged in promoting the sector through social media, participating in food festivals and organising regional events.
Brad is the managing director of CATERed, a cooperative school meals provider in Plymouth, owned by over 60 schools and Plymouth council. Brad's career in local government began age 16 with Devon's trading standards team. He later took on client roles for Devon County Council during compulsory competitive tendering (CCT) in cleaning and school catering during the late 1980s.
A native of Plymouth, Brad joined Plymouth City Council after local government re-organisation in 1998, where he managed sales and marketing of services directly to schools. In 2007, he was appointed education catering manager, overseeing the school meals service during a transformative period and which led to significant government funding, the building of over 20 new kitchens, ending all transported school meals across the city and major refurbishment of the school kitchen estate.
Brad played a crucial role in the national School Food Plan, leading the small schools project across rural Devon and Cornwall. In April 2015, he launched CATERed, the UK's first cooperative school meals provider, ensuring all children have access to freshly prepared, locally sourced hot school food with a strong focus on building and maintaining regional food production and sourcing whether that be with dedicated local farms growing potatoes to locally caught and landed haddock. CATERed now provide services in Plymouth, West Devon and South East Cornwall.
Brad has been an active member of LACA since the early 1990s. He has served as regional chair for the South West Region, became a Board Member in 2018, was national Chair in 2022/23 and is currently the Vice Chair Elect.
