Rob Kennedy goes freelance after leaving Compass Group

Rob Kennedy, who recently left Compass Group, is now offering his chef services on a private basis.

The chef's private dining, kitchen consultancy, filming, events and food presenting offering can be booked via his website.

Rob joined Compass as head chef at Victory College aged 24, becoming an executive chef at 30 and a culinary director in 2017. He served as the executive head chef at Wimbledon this year.

The chef led a team of more than 400 chefs and catered for the world's oldest (and arguably the most famous) tennis competition, a two-week long event during which attendees consume a staggering amount of food.

What drove his decision to leave?

In an interview with The Staff Canteen, the chef said he very much enjoyed the excitement and buzz of the event, but explained that he wants to find something as consistently exciting on a daily basis.

"Wimbledon was a fantastic opportunity and it really strengthened my CV. Now I want something all year-round, because the championship is only two weeks - so in terms of the rest of the business it's a bit more platformed and basic."

"I want to go back into something prestigious where they'll get excited about fresh blood coming in, looking at great British, seasonal, uncomplicated food and someone who can inspire and interest the chefs around them."

Rob has spent a large proportion of his career working at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, where he was the executive chef, managing menus for visiting Royal family, senior dignitaries and world leaders.

He is a figurehead in the industry - having won more than 20 culinary gold medals as well as being named Competition Chef of the Year by the Craft Guild of Chefs in 2016 - and supports a number of charitable and educational initiatives nationwide, including Brakes' Meals & More charity.

Last year, Rob was also a mentor to Farnborough College for the 2019 Heat culinary competition in Jersey.

Where to next?

That's not to say the chef isn't open to permanent offers: the chef said he hopes to take this wealth of experience to inspire and develop a team somewhere new.

"From fine dining to banqueting to contract catering, I've covered it all, at a management level as well. For me it's about finding a new opportunity where skills, personality and knowledge can help the business and the team to deliver fantastic food."

Not limited to working somewhere with the same offering as The Compass Group, he said: "It can be something absolutely brand new - an area of industry is looking for a new executive chef with different inspirations and ideas."

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