Meet the Team

Annette Ryan Murphy founded Nourish in 2003 based on her passion to transform food within schools. Today, Nourish remains a business that puts food first, prioritising the importance of a balanced and varied diet to a child’s development. Annette is a highly experienced director, with over 25 years of experience and holding two previous directorships before founding Nourish.

She is constantly prioritising innovation, and encourages an inclusive and open working environment amongst staff. Both as a director and a colleague, she manages to get the best out of everyone. For Annette, the future of Nourish is a bright one. She protects the identity of what was once a small family business, whilst recognising the importance of evolution within an ever-developing society. Her vibrancy and enthusiasm as a leader is truly inspirational and stands testament to the success of the business.

Appointed in 2022, Managing Director Mark has hit the ground running. Mark has been leading large operational teams across the catering industry for over 20 years. He is at ease solving complex challenges and ensures exceptionally high standards are met, all whilst launching innovative new ideas.

Mark’s leadership has proved instrumental in taking the business to the next level as Nourish continues to grow. He has brought with him new ideas and people, already making his mark for our future. Mark joined us with a strategic vision for the business, always maintaining the Nourish philosophy that the needs of each and every pupil we serve are paramount.

Mark not only delivers the operational strategic direction, but is also a hands on and compassionate leader. A familiar face amongst our clients, he oversees supply chain decisions, menu development, marketing, and hiring and mentoring the best talent.

Joining Nourish in 2005, Debbie’s role has evolved alongside the business. Initially working in one of Nourish’s biggest catering contracts, her experience and talent for organisation has made her a pragmatic and approachable director.

Debbie is an integral member of the leadership team and has been responsible for managing the Head Office for ten years, as well as leading the Payroll and HR functions. She is a trusted advisor across the business, passionate about maintaining the highest Nourish standards. Debbie is a problem solver, regularly leading discussions with fellow management, the operations team and the wider staff community to solve any challenges that may arise.

Gemma has worked within the catering industry for the past 17 years and has built a well-established career specialising in Business Development.

Initially working for Nourish in 2005, Gemma worked closely with Annette in the very early days to support the business operationally, mobilising new contracts and establishing firm foundations for the company’s growth. Gemma left Nourish in 2007 to further develop her skills within sales across the Business and Industry sector, before returning in 2018 as Business Development Manager.

Gemma’s positive attitude, practical approach and vast experience has enabled strong relationships between Nourish and our clients. Gemma has been instrumental in the growth of the business and her integrity has ensured that as we grow, our focus still remains on the nourishment of the children we feed every day.

Trudy joined Nourish in May 2022, having spent the previous 35 years managing large catering operations teams in industries from education, care, technology and retail. She is a forward-thinking leader, regularly crafting and implementing new ideas which have proved popular.

As Operations Director for Nourish, Trudy manages half of the estate including, 3 Senior Regional Operations Managers who look after contracts across London and the South East. Trudy’s proactive and trustworthy nature means that she has established strong relationships with all levels of clients, whilst also assisting in setting the strategic goals and operational direction of the business.

Initially working for Nourish since 2007, Jayne played a pivotal role in developing the business during its early stages of growth. Jayne left Nourish to develop her skills in a sales and operational roles within the Business and Industry and Assisted Living sectors. She soon returned to Nourish to continue the fantastic work that she started here in the company’s beginnings.

Since re-joining the team in 2020, Jayne has brought with her a wealth of experience and new ideas that have been welcomed by the team. Her expertise and knowledge have been greatly received by Nourish clients and paves a positive path for future Nourish contracts.

Jayne is currently responsible for two Operations Managers. She dedicates time and care to all clients with regular on-site visits, and provides fantastic support for every individual that she works with. A professional approach and positive attitude ensure Jayne achieves meaningful results quickly, as well as creating and maintaining great client relationships.

Keighley joined Nourish in 2022, after many years in the catering industry. Beginning her catering career as a General Assistant, she has climbed through the ranks from Chef Manager to now Senior Operations Manager. She has a thorough understanding of what is expected of staff and is well thought of by her team and clients as a truly empathetic leader.

Keighley is extremely passionate about ensuring that all children receive a nutritionally balanced meal. She believes that lunchtimes are extremely important to each child’s day and will do all she can to make the dining experience as nourishing and enjoyable as possible. Keighley is a compassionate and enthusiastic leader, often the first one to dress up as our mascot Mr Nourish for special days. She is brilliant at getting involved in local school communities, leading fun events and taking part in school fetes.

Julie joined Nourish in 2010 as an Operations Manager with 25 years of experience in workplace catering, customer service and school catering. She has established herself as a vital member of the team, exhibiting strong leadership and a creative approach to developing enticing and nutritional meals.

Julie now leads our Food Development team and is responsible for expertly crafting on-trend menus in line with nutritional standards, and developing new and innovative ideas for the business. Julie also manages our supply chain across the entire Nourish network, testament to her organisation, leadership and a keen eye for detail.

David is a highly experienced Chef with 15 years of craft experience. David helps bring the Nourish philosophy to life, trialling and testing new and exciting menu ideas and current food trends, to ensure our lunches are delicious and nutritious each day. His creativity and skill enable the business to continuously innovate and provide a fresh, varied offering.

Beyond the kitchen, he is passionate about educating pupils on health and nutrition, having created short storybooks for younger age groups and recipe books for all. Both Julie and David offer vital hands-on support to the wider Operations Team, through running Cookery Clubs, Recipe Workshops, and Craft Training.

Jo takes care of all design marketing projects at Nourish. She has a wealth of experience in business and industry including over 15 years specifically delivering design concepts and innovation to the food and beverage market. Jo has been steering our recent rebrand and is looking forward to bringing more exciting and trend leading ideas the business.

In addition to supporting the Nourish brand, Jo provides design support to the existing client base, ensuring Nourish sites have a consistent look and feel and have all the collateral they need to keep clients, children and parents informed of everything they can enjoy as Nourish customers.