"My favourite part of my job is working closely with caterers and empowering them to make positive sustainable changes."
Each month, E-News will introduce you to a member of our Soil Association Scotland and Food for Life Scotland teams.
This month, Business Development Manager and Menu and Catering Skills Officer, Sue McVey, discusses her career journey, the importance of local produce and working across Scotland.
Q1. What is your name and your job title?
SM: My name is Sue McVey and I am the Business Development Manager and Menu and Catering Skills Officer. I support caterers across Scotland, helping them move towards more sustainable menus on the public plate.
Q2. When did you join Food for Life Scotland?
SM: I joined the Food for Life Scotland team in May 2018 as Menu and Catering Skills Officer. One of the first local authorities I worked with to achieve their FFLSH award was Inverclyde, which was a great journey to be part of, and there have been many others.
I get to build up great relationships with public sector caterers across Scotland in this role. My role involves staff training, menu development and helping caterers find sustainable solutions on their menus that work for their customers. I co-created the Food for Life Ambassador programme in Scotland, which focused on Food Citizenship and Food Leadership. It was a really enriching process helping the caterers through their journeys.
Recently, I have taken on the role of Business Development Manager in Scotland, which is exciting! I will be focusing on working with caterers in all public sector areas in Scotland. My favourite part of my job is working closely with caterers and empowering them to make positive sustainable changes to their menus. It makes a huge impact.
Q3. What is one of your favourite things about working at Soil Association/Food for Life Scotland?
SM: Without doubt, the amazing team! They are supportive, passionate, incredibly knowledgeable and we have a great collaborative team spirit working towards our goals. There are also the potluck lunches, which are pretty special. Everyone always makes such an effort, and the food is always delicious.
Q4. Discuss your journey with sustainability/the environment. Why is this important to you?
SM: My background is in food manufacturing and product development, I was becoming increasingly disillusioned with the food industry and the impact it was having on our planet and health. This really resonated with me when I had a family. I have always had a very strong connection with nature, grew lots of my own produce and was a very passionate cook, but wanted to work in a role that helped people connect with climate, nature and health.
I enhanced my qualifications by completing a Masters in Public Health Nutrition and joined the Soil Association Scotland. Working alongside such passionate and knowledgeable people at the charity, I learn something new every day and try and share this knowledge with others to develop that connection with nature, the food we eat and its impact on the world.
Q5. Can you walk us through a day in your life?
SM: Every day is different, and every caterer is different. I could be with a local authority training staff, or working one on one with a caterer, helping align their menus to the FFLSH standards. I have visited most parts of Scotland to work directly with caterers, or at exhibitions, such as ASSIST, ScotHot, or The Royal Highland Show, promoting our sustainable catering models and talking to caterers from various backgrounds. As long as I’m talking about food, I’m happy!
Q6. What is your favourite dish to cook?
SM: Gosh, I just love cooking and food non- stop, it occupies my mind a lot! I am really into making and eating fermenting food due to its beneficial health effects on the gut microbiome. I make my own kefir, kombucha, sauerkraut and kimchi. I like to make my own sourdough when I get the time, it’s a nice weekend treat! We even have our own Food for Life Scotland fermentation WhatsApp group called ‘The Fermentators’.
I do love a chickpea and I think they are very underrated, so my favourite dish to cook is a chana masala. Roasting the spices mean there is a warming smell as you are cooking, and it tastes great (plus my family love it too).
Q7. What is a recipe book you always go back to, and why?
SM: My favourite cookbooks are the River Cottage ‘Everyday’ series of books. As I grow my own veg, I’m often looking for simple, family-friendly recipes that utilise my own produce. Hugh- Fearnley-Whittingstall has a great connection to nature and respect for the environment and a sensible way of promoting seasonal ingredients into simple and tasty recipes that are also adaptable. I have many, many cookery books, but these books I always go back to.
Q8. What do you do to relax?
SM: I love being outside and being active, so walking the dog, gardening, walking in the mountains and paddleboarding are all on my list. I also love cooking and sharing good food with family and friends. Recently, I have got back into yoga and have been practicing ashtanga yoga., I find it meditative and challenging – the best mix!
Q9. What is a podcast you’re listening to right now?
SM: I don’t listen to many podcasts, but do like the Zoe podcast, The Food Chain by BBC World Service and The Doctors Kitchen when I am travelling around Scotland.
Q10. What one thing do you want people to know about your job?
SM: When I try and describe my job to friends and family, they are often really confused as to what I do. They think I work in a school kitchen, telling caterers to put beans on the menu all the time. When I talk to them about all the detail of what we do, like helping and supporting caterers, they are often quite amazed. I also really like to promote all the good and very hard work that caterers do across Scotland.
