We’re blown away by the responses we received to our first ‘Staff Success’ feature last month. It’s incredibly moving to hear about how employees such as Lindsey Mead have impacted their colleagues. Sharing the journeys that colleagues have had with us is a reminder that we’re all currently somewhere along our career path journey, but we’ve all met inspiring, motivating people along the way who have somehow played a role in the trajectory of our careers.
This brings us to spotlighting João de Freitas, Assistant Cook at Highover Training Kitchen. João has been working for HCL for 10 years and is incredibly passionate about his fundamental role in the Training Kitchen at Highover.
João originally joined HCL through an agency, before becoming an HCL employee as a General Catering Assistant. Five years later, he progressed into his current role at Highover Training Kitchen as the Assistant Cook.
“The opportunity presented itself along the way and I wanted to progress as the company gives you all the training and support to be able to progress successfully.”
With a passion for cooking and a focus on making mealtime a special and delicious experience for children at Highover School, João is a valuable member of the Training Team.
“When speaking to João, you cannot help but notice his passion for the job. João has a fantastic work ethic, approaching every aspect of his job role with meticulous care to deliver something special. João inspires those colleagues fortunate enough to work alongside him. João is an asset to HCL, consistently displaying unwavering dedication and commitment.”
- Rolande Jeffries, Skills Trainer in the Training Team
Offering family-friendly working hours and term-time-only roles within our kitchen teams has meant that parents can have a career and be there for their children. When João began working for HCL, his children were young, and he was a single parent. Having a family-friendly working pattern was crucial to balancing a career and being there for his children.
“Working for HCL has enabled me to be there for my children. (When they were younger) I could work and know that I was giving them the best start in life, as the hours were perfect. I was able to get them off to school in the morning, and I was home when they returned.”
Your place of work should be rewarding, and the relationships you forge with colleagues can be instrumental in your success and theirs. For João, this certainly rings true:
“HCL is a fantastic company to work for. The reward and job satisfaction you get makes you want to stay. The company has high standards and gives you all the support you need to do your job to the standard that it should be. I work with a great team who share the same passion as me… Coming to work is like seeing my second family. Coming to work has been a safe place for me.”
When asked what his most rewarding experience has been at HCL over the past 10 years, João had this to say:
“My most rewarding experience at HCL was when our kitchen was nominated for a LACA Award. We didn’t win, but I will always strive to do better and make lunchtime for children as memorable as possible.”
“HCL is a company that I love working for because the standards are unbelievable. It’s not just a school kitchen; it’s a kitchen that has passion, and we produce good food! I love working. I’m passionate, and I love cooking at school and at home. I want to give the passion that I have to other people so that they can take it with them and share it with other people.”
We count ourselves incredibly lucky to call João a colleague of ours. João’s passion and commitment to delivering meals of the highest standards, as well as his work ethic and team spirit, are commendable. Perhaps there’s another opportunity for João and the Highover Training Kitchen team to enter the LACA Awards in 2025!
Beginning a career at HCL can often mean starting as a General Catering Assistant (GA) and as João can vouch, this role is about being a
“team member that works together to help wherever needed, to achieve a good meal that children are happy with”.
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