Dean Kennett

People have called me a dreamer, but it’s got me where I am. As a teenager, washing dishes at my family’s hotel, I didn’t think that one day I’d be Managing Director of my own catering business. In fact, I wanted to stay out of catering altogether. I was determined to forge my own path.

But one chef I worked with was so skilled and made such an impression on me I found myself wanting to do what he did. I realised hospitality was in my bones and never looked back.

That rebellious streak came back in 2005 while running a staff restaurant. I thought I could do better than the company I was working for and before you knew it I’d signed my own deal with the clients, taking the site team with me – and Just Hospitality was born.

Ten years on some of that same team are still here but the business has just kept moving forward.

From the buzz of service to the buzz of business, I thrive on the balancing acts of the catering industry. Overheads are high and the demand for great food even higher, but this is what I’m good at. And I’m still forging my own path.

We put the food first, and some people say I’m insane to serve food at the standards I offer in such a tough industry, but our roster of high-profile clients in Telecoms, Media and Telecommunications shows our innovative approach pays off. We stand alone in London on quality assurance and in our close working relationships with clients.

The business is scaling new heights and barely a day goes by without some kind of exciting news popping up. But I still like to cook up the odd team breakfast, and I’m on first name terms with every facilities manager we supply.

Passion’s a popular word these days – everyone’s throwing it around, but I really believe in keeping my heart on my sleeve. Every day I think about how I can offer something better for my clients and for my team, and I never lose sight of why I’m here – the food.