Blogs
From our kitchens: Introducing Gareth Ruck
At BM Caterers, some of the most important leadership happens in our kitchens.
While our senior team sets direction, it’s our chefs who bring that vision to life every day, developing people, shaping food culture and making decisions that influence the future of our industry.
Meet Gareth
Gareth Ruck is one of our Group Executive Chefs, working closely with teams across our kitchens to support talent development, mentoring and responsible sourcing. Alongside leading day-to-day operations, Gareth plays an active role in creating culinary concepts, developing early career chefs, supporting social impact partnerships and embedding ethical decision-making into everyday kitchen practice.
Sharing real experience from the kitchen
Through partnerships with colleges, charities and suppliers, Gareth works hands-on with apprentices, work experience placements and kitchen teams. Helping individuals build confidence, practical skills and a deeper understanding of professional kitchen environments.
His work includes:
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Supporting apprentices from Westminster Kingsway College
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Providing work experience opportunities through our partnership with Luminary Bakery
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Championing ethical and responsible sourcing within contract catering
These experiences give Gareth a practical, grounded perspective on what it takes to develop talented chefs, resilient chef brigades and responsible kitchens in today’s workplace dining sector.
Mentoring award-winning chefs
Mentors support chefs at every stage of their careers, not just at the beginning.
Gareth has also mentored two BM chefs who have gone on to win our most prestigious internal chef competitions. This includes BM’s Chef of the Year, judged by Michelin-starred chefs Adam Byatt and Mark Kempson, as well as a winner of BM’s Hungry Chef competition.
The Hungry Chef competition provides a stepping stone for developing talent. Supporting chefs as they build confidence and progress towards BM’s senior competitions, as well as wider national and international opportunities.
For Gareth, these achievements reflect the importance of consistent guidance, high standards and creating an environment where chefs are encouraged to challenge themselves and grow.
A chef-led perspective on the industry
In this series of articles, Gareth shares insights from his work at BM Caterers, covering topics such as mentoring young chefs, culinary concept development, creating opportunity through work experience and why ethical supply chains matter in modern contract catering.
These are not theoretical pieces. They are reflections from the kitchen — shaped by real people, real services and real decisions made every day.
From Gareth’s kitchen
Recent articles:
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Developing the next generation of chefs with Westminster Kingsway College
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Supporting opportunity through work experience with Luminary Bakery
Further articles exploring Gareth’s experience mentoring award-winning chefs and developing new food concepts will follow soon.
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