Month in month out The Kitchen Porters Club continues to see and recognise the incredible work done by kitchen porters across catering and hospitality, from care homes to schools, to hotels, pubs and restaurants. But this couldn’t happen unless their colleagues make time to nominate them, and in so doing send a message of appreciation of individuals, enhancing people focused culture within those businesses.
This month the winners of KP of the Month for June come from training centres, workplace catering, schools, and fine dining restaurants.
The winners are…
- Richard Everest, Kitchen Porter, Thomas Franks, at The Duke of York’s Royal Military School. Richard was nominated by Tracy Twinn, Jnr Regional Director at Thomas Franks who explained the nomination saying: “Richard always goes above & beyond in this extremely busy kitchen. He gives 110% everyday in a job that is relentless. He is also an extremely approachable and friendly member of the team.
- Laura Tuckley, a trainee at The Crumbs Project nominated by Ursula Boardman, The Crumbs Project’s Head of Centre who in nominating Laura told us: “Laura is a lively neurodiverse individual who strives for perfection and who has worked hard in overcoming many challenges! Laura insists that everything has to be cleaned spotlessly!
- Vitor Hugo Rodrigues Henriques, Kitchen Porter at Kitchen W8 in Kensington. Vitor was nominated by Head Chef Mark Kempson, who said: “Hugo’s dedication to the team is unmatched. Often overlooked, kitchen porters are the backbone of any operation, and Hugo exemplifies that. He ensures the kitchen runs like clockwork, always clean, always efficient, and always ready. His reliability, attention to detail, and positive attitude make him an indispensable part of the team. “We couldn’t ask for a better team player.”
- Anil (we don’t have his surname yet), a kitchen porter working with the team at Thomas Franks. Nominated by Paul Heritage, Development Chef, London at Thomas Franks who explained: “I just wanted to share a few comments about him and take the opportunity to recognise the fantastic work he’s been doing since joining Thomas Franks Ltd at Dentons. He’s always smiling, always ready to help, and brings such a positive energy to the team. Anil has also been sharing some great ideas on how we can improve our kitchen ordering and stock systems, drawing on his previous experience working at Amazon in India. It’s been brilliant to see his input making a real difference to how we work. A true star and a key part of the team!”
- Axel Fernando Caceres Montenegro, Kitchen Porter, Silva restaurant in Bruton Place, Mayfair. Nominated by Slawomir Sawoclo, Head Chef at Silva saying: “Axel is a very reliable person; besides his KP duties, he is always up for learning new things and helping around the kitchen with prepping vegetables and salads.”
All five winners will be sent their Kitchen Porters Club membership certificates and aprons to wear with pride knowing how much their colleagues appreciate their work.
Paul Anderson, Managing Director, Meiko UK and Chair at The Kitchen Porters Club set out how pleased he was again to see so many kitchen porters being recognised and seen by their colleagues telling us: “Reviewing entries every month shows a growing appreciation for kitchen porters and reflect positive team cultures in hospitality and catering workplaces.
“Nominations reflect a sense of comradery, mindfulness, and people focused culture at the forefront of our industry, just what successful businesses need to flourish. I thank all the nominators and congratulate all the nominees on their achievements.”
We are also delighted to report May’s KP of the Month Sarah Buchanan, a trainee at The Crumbs Project in Bournemouth was delighted to receive her award and apron recently. Ursula Boardman who nominated Sarah told us: “Sarah is beaming with pride in her KP apron, and I’ve a couple of photos to prove it! (below)
“She was absolutely thrilled when I shared the news that she’d been named KP of the Month. Her face lit up with joy as she accepted the apron, completely speechless for once! She then made her rounds through the building, proudly showing everyone her award.
“Receiving the apron as recognition for her dedication has given Sarah a real sense of accomplishment and pride in her work. She said she’s genuinely proud to be a KP, and it’s clear how much this means to her.”
We were, needless to say, delighted to hear that.
If you work alongside a Kitchen Porter that warrants a nomination for the Kitchen Porters Club June 2025 Kitchen Porter of the Month, simply complete the form below. It only takes a minute or two, and it will make a huge difference to one of your Kitchen Porter colleagues.
