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Independent catering company, Accent Catering Services, has invested in its senior leadership team with two recent appointments. Pierre Hermenault has been promoted from within to become Executive Director of Operations and Mark Crowe has joined as Culinary Director.
Hermenault first joined the independent caterers as an operations manager in 2022, having worked in catering management with industry giants, Elior and Baxter Storey. Within one year of joining Accent Catering, he was promoted to the role of Operations Director.
Working closely with Ian Crabtree, Managing Director of Accent, Hermenault is now responsible for leading the operational side of the company’s portfolio of primary, secondary and independent school contracts, as well as B&I and retail contracts. His role includes everything from overseeing financial performance and food strategy to social engagement and nutrition.
One aspect of his role is particularly close to his heart, as he explained: “Accent’s food ethos and emphasis on people are what drew me to join this business in the first place, so it is wonderful to have this opportunity to build on the special partnerships we already hold with clients and our teams. I am also eager to support people in the business to reach their full potential in their careers and lives as we have some fantastic talent.”
Commenting on Hermenault’s promotion, Ian Crabtree, Managing Director of Accent Catering said: “To have home-grown talent promoted from within is a great advantage as Pierre’s vision and ethos are already aligned with our relationship-centred approach. His passion and genuine interest in people and his love of food shine through, reflected in the fact that he is out in the business most days a week.”
Good food is also a shared passion for Hermenault and Accent, and he works closely with new Culinary Director, Mark Crowe, to support and drive the company’s fresh food ethos and commitment to seasonality.
Accent’s second appointment is an external appointment, with Mark Crowe joining as Culinary Director. Reporting to Ian Crabtree, he is responsible for leading the company’s high culinary quality standards and innovative approach, encompassing frameworks for recipe and menu development, sustainability and nutrition across Accent’s growing portfolio of education and B&I contracts.
Crowe has over 25 years of experience working in in many different sectors of the industry, from 5-star hotels and Michelin-starred restaurants in the UK and France to contract catering and corporate hospitality.
Before joining Accent Catering, he worked as Strategic Development Chef with Elior for the past sixteen years.
Ian Crabtree said: “Mark is a highly respected industry professional who is culturally the right fit with our food ethos and quality-driven approach. We are thrilled to have him on board and look forward to seeing him grow into his new role and make it his own.”
These latest investments in Accent Catering’s top tier reflect the company’s plans, as Ian explained: “Our focus on food and people remain at the heart of what we do. These values were clearly at the centre of Pierre and Mark’s thinking too and will ensure we remain a leading player in the markets we operate. Coupled with our focus on a nutritionally balanced food offer, we are constantly looking at ways to inspire our customers to make healthier choices by connecting them to real food, locally sourced and cooked from fresh. Pierre and Mark’s passion and enthusiasm will ensure we continue to develop and innovate at a market leading pace.”
