Our team

London’s leading contract catering team

Leeming Pilkington’s success is underpinned by our ability to know, recruit and retain the best people. We encourage and nurture a sense of belonging; it really is our people that make the difference and we are seen by our staff as a family business. The benefits to you are a motivated team that will always want to do their best for you and will never let you down.

We attract and reward the right teams for each client and we devote considerable resources to their ongoing training, development, management and support. The success of this investment in our staff can perhaps be best-judged by the fact that Leeming Pilkington runs the catering services for clients ranging from City firms and global management consultancies, through government departments, to one one of the UK’s largest unions.

To find out more about the key members of our team, please click on the images below.

Richard Leeming

Chief coffee bean counter and LP director

I particularly enjoy visiting one of the Government departments we work for in Victoria, as the blend of coffee we developed especially for this client has to be the best in London!

Richard knows the contract catering business as both a client and supplier, which gives him a deep understanding of the needs of our clients and how they can most effectively be met. He directs our strategy and operations, and developed our innovative smart accounting and invoicing system that clients love because of its transparency and effectiveness.

Richard entered contract catering as general manager for a leading global accountancy firm, and later opened and managed a highly successful catering contract at leading law firm Clifford Chance's global HQ in London. He has also been responsible for managing London-based catering contracts with the BBC, KPMG and NatWest Bank.

A qualified hotel management specialist whose focus has always been on providing exceptional customer care in the hotel, catering and restaurant business, Richard spent many years in senior management roles in London and around the country with Swallow Hotels. He launched Leeming Pilkington Ltd with Chris Pilkington in 2002, and their successful contract catering partnership has seen them develop a business founded on sound environmental and community objectives, with locally and ethically sourced food at its heart.

Chris Pilkington

The man that makes it happen for our clients, and an LP director

The home-made cakes and biscuits our chef makes at a global PR and communications firm in the West End are adored by the client's employees and customers. But when they're not indulging in such treats, they also have the run of a spectacular salad bar.

Clients are in safe hands with Chris, who visits each and every one of our sites at least once a week, to ensure that our high standards for great food and superb service are always being met and improved upon. He is available to meet with clients every day, formally or informally, and every one of our clients and their catering managers have direct and easy access to him.

Chris takes responsibility for LP's operations, purchasing and recruitment. He is a highly motivated ideas man who is always keen to exlore new ideas to improve our service to clients. And as a director of our firm, he is able to knowledgeably answer queries and quickly make effective decisions. Chris passionately believes that good support, training, management and direction helps ensure happy staff and exceptional service to our clients. He leads and enthuses an experienced team who are as ardent as he is about delivering exceptional food and service to our customers and clients.

A graduate of the Strathclyde University's Scottish Hotel School, Chris, worked for Swallow Hotels before moving into contract catering in a variety of senior management roles with Compass. His next move was to head up catering and hospitality services for leading law firm Clifford Chance's global HQ in London. He then went on to become operations manager for Compass' Business and Industry Division in London, with clients that included Cable and Wireless, LIFFE, Compaq, Carlton TV and The British Council. Chris was also responsible for managing contracts with retail outlets and private members' clubs. In 2001, Chris launched Leeming Pilkington Ltd with Richard Leeming, since when the successful partnership has built their London catering company with a strong focus on corporate social responsibility and ethical sourcing.

Paul Ayley

Satisfying taste buds since 1990!

I love working on the fine dining lunches we do for the partners and clients of a global management consultancy in the West End. I know they love them, too, because I'm often asked for the recipes. And by the way, I don't know what Richard means when he says I talk about food like Jamie Oliver!

Leeming Pilkington's approach to food is carefully steered by Paul, our development chef, who is as passionate about using the finest ingredients as he is about ensuring they are ethically sourced.

A foodie through and through, Paul is always looking to create the best dining experiences for our customers. Whether it is food to go from a coffee bar or the latest recipe for a fine dining lunch, he is always developing new food and service ideas, keeping Leeming Pilkington's food offers fresh and relevant for new and existing clients.

Paul loves talking about food, exploring the latest techniques and ingredients, and ensuring that the best possible food and dining experience is served to match every venue, occasion and budget. He is a great listener, too, encouraging an ongoing dialogue and feedback to ensure clients get exactly what they want.

Charlotte Hellett

Service-led sales from a catering specialist

I'm always so impressed with what our fine dining teams achieve. A testimonial from a member of a private members' club in the heart of the West End says it all: "The attentive and professional service we received whilst recently entertaining clients far exceeded what we have recently experienced at top, well-known restaurants."

Charlotte's background in operating catering contracts for many years results in a real-life, practical and deliverable approach to sales. She is a great example of how Leeming Pilkington does sales differently, by focusing on client needs to build long-term, successful relationships with clients who value a personal and professional catering service that always delivers what it promises.

Charlotte heads our sales team, having joined Leeming Pilkington in 2009 from her previous role as Sales Executive for ISS Eaton. Before that, she was senior operations manager for Eaton Fine Dining in London, and has held a similar role with Compass Group, serving clients in the City.

Margot Hirst

Sales and catering specialist who knows her onions

The blueberry muffins we serve in the staff cafe at the headquarters of one of the UK's largest unions are scrumptuous. The fact that they are Fair Trade and served with delicious Fair Trade Eros Bourbon coffees ticks all the right boxes. There's no better way to enjoy an indulgent break in a busy day!"

A key player in Leeming Pilkington's sales team, Margot concentrates on the ingredient supply side of our sales activity, ensuring the freshest, finest and tastiest ingredients are available to our clients. She has a deep understanding of the needs of our customers, having spent most of her career as a catering manager with blue chip companies.

Kaliana Martins

Helping ensure we always deliver

When the City office of a full-service international law firm said they wanted 'something different' in the range of biscuits served in client meetings, we certainly delivered. They rave about them now, and I never miss an opportunity to enjoy them myself!

Helping our teams provide exceptional support to each client and on every contract is what Kaliana excels at. With her postgraduate degree in business and management, she supports Chris on the operational side of the business, working with all our catering teams and suppliers to ensure operating standards are being maintained and improved.

A great strength of Kaliana's is developing and implementing ideas generated by our teams and providing solutions to day-to-day operational challenges. She has great ability to interpret the needs of our clients and the demands of the business so that each site is fully supported. Kaliana, who joined Leeming Pilkington in 2003, also plays a key role in marketing and merchandising.