Get To Know The Team!
Richard Groves - Managing Director
Likes – Rose in magnums (or any wine in magnums to be fair), friendly, proactive waiting staff, Norfolk
Dislikes - Bar staff in theatres or restaurants who take an interminable time to serve simple drinks, drizzle
Death Row Dinner - Heritage beetroot with goat’s curd and candied pecans, osso buco and risotto milanese. The Wolseley vanilla cheesecake
Favourite JGC Event - A wedding at Belvoir Castle in Lincolnshire. 300 guests with the reception and dinner in the castle. Our kitchen was in the salon, overlooked by a Holbein portrait and brunch was served besides the lake the next day
Jimmy Garcia - Founder and
Creative Director
Likes – Long Lunches with friends or family, passionate people, fire pits, Leeds United!
Dislikes – Neon, cheap plates, hellman’s mayonnaise (the devil incarnated)
Death Row Dinner – Snacks from the Frog By Adam Handling (best pre-dinner snacks ever). My Spanish Grandma's Cured Meats to start with perello olives (the godfathers of olives). My Mum's lasagne for main course. Dessert has to be an Affogato. Amazing coffee and the best vanilla ice cream - always a good idea!
Favourite JGC Event - We turned the Emirates Cable Car into a restaurant for the evening to launch my cookbook. As the first people to ever do so we were obviously nervous, but it was so satisfying knowing that all the hard work was worth it when guests were blown away and a really proud moment with all of my friends, family, loyal followers and suppliers present
Ellie Foreman - Head of Operations
Likes – Baking all things sweet, long lunches, rugby days and weekends by the sea in Deal, Kent
Dislikes – Watermelon, gnocchi, truffle – all very over rated
Death Row Dinner – Starter, naughty piglets pear with jerusalem artichokes, blue cheese and hazelnuts with a glass of Ruinart Blanc de Blanc. For main, spaghetti vongole with clams from Jenkins & Son Fishmongers in Deal with a glass of Jura chardonnay. Dessert, The Ledbury brown sugar tart and to finish, a glass of Pedro Ximenez
Favourite JGC Event - Large corporate event for 1,400 with live paella stations, a Thai fast food conveyor belt and an enormous tree of treats containing homemade pic and mix!
Andrew Dean - Head of Sales
Likes - Watching rugby, exercise, wine
Dislikes - Being late, wasps (I was stung multiple times in the same place as a child and its scared me for life!)
Death Row Dinner - I think it would have to be the Ox cheek, bone marrow mac and cheese they serve at Berners Tavern!
Favourite JGC Event - Working with Facebook in Davos for the World Economic Forum 2020
Ran Lees - Chef Director
Likes - Relentless enthusiasm, wines I can't afford, negronis, seriously long lunches
Dislikes - Laziness, technology, zoom, influencers
Death Row Dinner - Starter - Foie gras parfait, toasted brioche - circa Philip Howard, The Square. Main - Roast rib of beef, stinking bishop cauliflower cheese, duck fat roast potatoes, red wine sauce, seasonal vegetables at home on a Sunday with friends and copious amounts of good wine. Pudding - Rum baba - Alain ducasse - Plaza Anthee
Favourite JGC Event - Cannes, ILTM, Jack Morton 2019
Barry Wibling - Senior Sous Chef
Likes - French cheese, English wine!
Dislikes - Likes and dislikes lists - too much pressure to appear interesting!
Death Row Dinner - The entire menu at St John's Restaurant
Favourite JGC Event - Davos World Economic Forum
Kiera Green - Event Manager
Likes - Aperol spritz, mature cheddar, 80s music and Harry Potter
Dislikes - When I get a lemon served in my glass of coca cola
Death Row Dinner - Tangy cheese Doritos with mature cheddar melted on top and an onion and garlic dip – basic but the best!
Alex Lees - Executive Chef
Likes - Trying new restaurants. If you've got any recommendations let me know!
Dislikes - Fish
Death Row Dinner - Burrata to start with an assortment of tomatoes, basil pesto, grilled peaches, aubergine caponata, freshly sliced Jamon, fresh baguettes! Main - steak with homemade bearnaise, triple cooked chips, and a side of creamed spinach. Dessert - Gateau St Honore - puff pastry base with creme diplomat filled profiteroles dipped in crunchy caramel and finished with even more creme diplomat - heaven!
Favourite JGC Event - A joint 18th and 50th circus-themed birthday we arranged. It had a big top, helter-skelter, real lions and a hell of an entertainment line up! We catered for 400 with a menu that included gold glitter-covered potatoes (a special request from the client). The walk-in freezer power was turned off by security at night melting all the ice cream for the knickerbocker glories!! Sourcing 140 litres of ice cream and sorbet from around the Gloucestershire countryside became the challenge of the day, but we did it!
Abbie Park - Head Chef
Likes - Puppies, skiing, sweets, Florence and the machine
Dislikes - Hot drinks, horror films, being late
Death Row Dinner - Open with an aperol spritz. For starters, soft shell crab bao bun. Mains - a traditional Swiss fondue with lots of cornichons and charcuterie and for dessert, an ice cream buffet with ALL the toppings!
Favourite JGC Event - Cannes ILTM 2019
Hugo Penel-Page - Head Pastry Chef
Likes - Dark chocolate, lemon basil sorbet and of course a nice raclette. There’s many more I could list but they won’t be able to fit on this page!
Dislikes - This might offend a lot of people but fish and chips are overrated… I do eat everything else though
Death Row Dinner - My partners Carribean oxtail butter bean stew
Favourite JGC Event – The showcase event we did at Banqueting House. Incredible
Annie Griffin - Sales and Operations Manager
Likes - Spin classes, surfing, wine, being on a boat somewhere hot!
Dislikes - Jam, being stuck in traffic, being late
Death Row Dinner - Tapas – so I can have a little bit of everything!
Favourite JGC Event - 3 day wedding we did in the Scottish Highlands. Food Stations, 5 course dinner, ceremony up a mountain and the marquee being transformed overnight from Jazz nightclub to all white wedding dream. Was definitely one to remember!
Valeria Carboni - Senior Sales Manager
Likes - Holidays by the beach. Actually, holidays in general!
Dislikes - Flying, even though I travel a lot!
Death Row Dinner - Pizza and tiramisu, like a true Italian *insert hand gesture here*!!
Favourite JGC Event – A corporate party where our chefs cooked on an open fire with the stunning background of the Tower of London
Cam Lees - Warehouse Manager
Likes - Rugby, skiing, cornish beaches, dogs
Dislikes - Coffee, tea, wine, cheating in sports and over the top theatrical people!
Death Row Dinner - Skip starter! Main - a quality burger - brioche bun, juicy meat, bacon, cheese, sticky onion relish, sweet potato fries, pudding - sticky toffee pudding with vanilla icecream, wash it all down with an Oreo milkshake!!
Favourite JGC Event – On the rare occasions they let me out of the warehouse I enjoy all our events! Seeing all the planning and work put in executed to the highest of levels is a joy to see. Shout out to the whole office team and the chefs who always deliver!!
Bailey Groves - Chief Happiness Officer
Likes - Cheese, viennoiserie, toast
Dislikes - Leaving a walk on Wimbledon Common too early, having my paws washed after a muddy walk
Death Row Dinner - To start, a croissant from The Lockdown Bakery in Wandsworth Old Town, then a nice crunchy bone treat with any hard English cheese to finish
Favourite JGC Event - Every time I come into the office is an event for me - I love that everyone wants to stroke me!