University of Reading catering boss becomes MBE in NY honours
Matt White has worked his way up from chef to become a member of the university's senior management team
The head of the university of Reading's catering department says he thought he'd done something wrong when he first set eyes on an official letter informing him he'd been awarded an MBE!
Matt White - who is director of campus commerce - has been recognised in the Queen's New Year honours list for his services to catering and the hospitality industry.
He says ensuring students are offered exciting and innovative food choices is a great opportunity:
"It's actually a really really exciting environment in which to work because we are influencing peoples eating habits for the rest of their adult lives, they're at that point where they've managed to shed mum and dad and be able for the first time make really informed choices on how they want to eat"
He also led TUCO (the national university caterers’ organisation) for 10 years in voluntary roles as board member and chair, creating a significant legacy to catering at national level.
He says helping to raise more than £120,000 for the charity 'Mary's meals' - which feeds children in developing countries - is one of his proudest achievements at TUCO:
"This charity works for me because it feeds children in schools it makes them go to school to get a free meal so it breaks the cycle of poverty by ensuring the catering element is happening in an educational setting which is obviously perfect for my line of work"
At the university he's implemented innovative ideas including refillable drinks bottles to reduce the use of single use plastics; reusable coffee cups with prepaid number of drinks; a regular international street food market; and a vegetarian café.
He created marketplaces for students to buy small amounts of loose fresh ingredients from local and ethical suppliers. During lockdown, this service moved seamlessly to click and collect, essential when commercial providers closed.
Matt also drove Reading’s adoption of Stanford University’s Menus of Change, transforming student catering with 24 principles focusing on fresh and nutritious food with a range of sustainable, environmental and social commitments. It was the first UK based university to be approved by the Menus of Change research collaborative.
His catering operation is widely recognised as a national showcase with chefs cooking diverse menus using local suppliers, including beef from the University’s research farm.
Other honours locally include MBEs for Maidenhead's double Olympic gold medallist Tom Dean and Reading-based rower Oliver Stanhope who won gold in the Paralympic games.
21-year-old Alice Jackson from the village of Chute near Andover was honoured with a B.E.M for her services to the local community during the lockdown.