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Demystifying WELL: food and wellbeing at work

Freshly prepared chef demonstrates cooking techniques to engaged business audience at BM Caterers event.

We recently brought together leading figures from across the workplace experience community including clients, partners, and industry peers for an evening dedicated to one key question: what does WELL accreditation truly mean for catering teams?

BM chefs demystified the process, explored both the challenges and opportunities, and showed how our food plays a central role in creating healthier, more sustainable workplaces.

Hosted at one of BM’s client sites, an investment bank, and chaired by Hannah Horley-Young of the Crazy Sexy Food podcast, the event brought together workplace and FM specialists, wellbeing experts, a WELL assessor and catering professionals to share insight, experience and practical advice on designing menus aligned with the WELL Building Standard™.

The evening also showcased how WELL-inspired workplace catering can drive workplace wellbeing through food, creating environments that are both energising and sustainable.

Cooking with purpose: bringing WELL-inspired workplace catering to life

The event opened with a live counter showcase led by BM’s Chef Director, Pete Redman, and his culinary team. Guests were invited to experience four dishes inspired by the WELL Nourishment concept, designed to balance health, sustainability and creativity without compromising on taste.

Each dish explored how nutrition, sourcing and mindful portioning can influence both wellbeing and environmental impact, a live example of workplace wellbeing through food in action.

Highlights included:

Baba ghanoush with roasted chickpeas and Japanese smoked vinegar, proving vegetables can be the star of the show.
Salmon paired with grains, pulses and preserved lemon, baked gently using residual heat for maximum flavour and nutrition.
Sladesdown chicken from Devon, demonstrating how thoughtful sourcing from small, regenerative farms supports both animal welfare and quality.
Coconut panna cotta with caramelised pineapple and lime, made with less than 25g of sugar to show how sweetness can be achieved using natural alternatives.

Each course served as a live example of how chefs can translate WELL principles into practice, from the types of fats and sugars used to the visibility of fruit and vegetables and the balance of portion sizes.

“Menus that follow WELL’s nourishment principles challenge chefs in the best way possible. Restrictions spark creativity. It’s about designing food that energises people and respects the planet.”
Pete Redman, Chef Director, BM

Panel discussion: from principles to practice

After the tastings came a lively panel discussion featuring Akos Brandecker (WELL Assessor, Living Building Consultancy), Tom Howes (Head of Corporate Services and Sustainability, Lazard UK), and Pete Redman (Chef Director, BM Caterers).

Brandecker gave an overview of WELL’s Nourishment concept, explaining that even its two preconditions, ensuring the availability and visibility of fruit and vegetables, and providing clear nutritional transparency, can have far-reaching implications for how catering is managed. Beyond these, there are twelve optimisations covering everything from refined ingredients and portion sizes to mindful eating and responsible sourcing.

He highlighted that achieving WELL certification requires both compliance and creativity, with foodservice teams playing a vital role alongside architects and building managers.

From the client side, Tom Howes shared Lazard’s motivation for pursuing WELL accreditation as part of its new BREEAM Excellent workplace: “Our new workplace wasn’t just about great design, it was about creating an environment where people want to be.”

“Food plays a huge part in our workplace. By aligning our catering with WELL nourishment principles, we’ve seen greater engagement and a stronger connection to wellbeing.”
Tom Howes, Head of Corporate Services and Sustainability, Lazard UK

Pete Redman added that collaboration between chefs, nutritionists and clients is essential: “WELL-inspired workplace catering works best when everyone’s involved, the chefs, the nutrition team and the client. It’s about creating food that meets standards but still excites people.”

The discussion highlighted how WELL-inspired workplace catering is becoming a practical route for organisations to embed workplace wellbeing through food into their design and operational strategies.

Why it matters?

The panel agreed that while WELL certification is rigorous, it is achievable with the right partnership and mindset. Empowering craft teams, building nutritional awareness and making wellbeing part of the food culture are key to long-term success.

As BM Managing Director, Angus Brydon, summed up on the night: “Chefs thrive on challenge. When they’re supported by the right expertise and a client who shares the vision, they can create food that genuinely enhances wellbeing at work.” It is this balance of creativity, compliance and care that defines BM’s approach to WELL-inspired workplace catering.

He also announced BM’s commitment to deepening its expertise in this space through its new Atelier Wellness programme, which supports clients looking to deliver WELL-inspired menus, even where on-site kitchens aren’t available.

Interested in bringing WELL-inspired workplace catering to your business?

Talk to our team about Atelier Wellness

Key takeaways

WELL nourishment encourages mindful eating – rethink portion sizes, focus on fruit and vegetables first, and use natural sugars and wholegrains.
Chef empowerment is essential – engaged teams bring creativity and inclusivity to healthy menu design.
Transparency matters – nutritional information, labelling and sourcing all play a role in the WELL framework.
Catering is a key part of wellbeing – food choices influence both physical health and workplace culture.

Looking ahead

The event showed just how much opportunity there is for catering teams to influence the future of wellbeing at work. From reducing sugar to celebrating seasonal produce, aligning menus with WELL principles doesn’t just tick a box, it transforms how people eat, think and feel at work.

A big thank you to everyone who joined us for the food, the insight and the conversation. Together, we’re proving that when food and wellbeing go hand in hand, workplaces become truly energising places to be.

Coming up in Manchester: workplace food, wellbeing and performance

We’re hosting another WELL-inspired catering and workplace wellbeing event with performance consultants Robertson Cooper, who will share findings from their latest study of more than 70,000 employees, exploring what really makes “a great day at work.”

Join us in Manchester on Thursday 13th November 5-8PM Book here

Join BM and Robertson Cooper for an inspiring evening exploring what makes a great day at work.

Join us in Manchester on 13 November to explore how food and wellbeing create truly energising workplaces.

BOOK YOUR SPACE

“WELL” and “WELL Building Standard” are trademarks of the International WELLBuilding Institute, PBC (IWBI). BM Caterers is not affiliated with or endorsed by IWBI.