● Healthcare Milestone: Barchester Healthcare becomes the first healthcare provider ever to win Operator of the Year – Innovative Kitchen Design at the national Foodservice Equipment Journal (FEJ) Awards.
● Beating High-Street Giants: Barchester took home the top prize ahead of prominent commercial restaurant finalists including Pizza Pilgrims, Maki & Ramen, Pure, and The Sushi Co.
● Sustainability & Safety Lead: Standardized 60 m² baseline designs feature 100% electric operations, rooftop solar integration, air conditioning, and ergonomic workflow separation.
● National Impact: Innovative kitchen model being rolled out across Barchester’s portfolio of new-build care home communities, and expanding further to its 270+ care homes.
LONDON, UK. September 30th, 2026 – Barchester Healthcare’s hospitality and development teams are celebrating a historic victory after being named Operator of the Year for Innovative Kitchen Design at the prestigious Foodservice Equipment Journal (FEJ) Awards this September.
The achievement marks a major milestone for the care sector, with Barchester becoming the first healthcare organisation in FEJ Awards history to secure the honor. In a category traditionally dominated by high-street commercial dining, Barchester triumphed over fellow shortlisted finalists including Pizza Pilgrims, Maki & Ramen, Pure, and The Sushi Co.
The award recognises Barchester’s commitment to reinventing catering spaces across its new builds and modern kitchen refurbishments. By combining smart ergonomic layouts, energy-efficient all-electric appliances, and dedicated staff welfare features, Barchester has established a new national benchmark for healthcare catering environments.
The award-winning initiative stems from a close collaboration between Barchester’s Property Development division and its Hospitality team, led by Mervyn Knights, Hospitality Commissioning and Academy Manager.
Driven by a passion to develop the best environment for staff and residents, Grant Jensen, Senior Property Development Manager at Barchester Healthcare, commented: “I genuinely believe that everything our operations and hospitality teams deliver is first-class. Over the last 40-plus new builds, we’ve developed state-of-the-art kitchens built entirely around the needs of the team who work in them. By starting with a circa 60m2 footprint baseline, we ensure that every layout flows seamlessly from prep to wash areas, operates safely, and is simple to clean down and maintain excellent hygiene standards day-to-day.”
Future-Proofed, Sustainable Design Central to the award win is Barchester’s transition away from traditional gas infrastructure in its new developments. All new kitchens are constructed 100% electric, powered in part by on-site photovoltaic (PV) solar panels. This shift significantly cuts carbon emissions and operational costs while creating cooler, safer working conditions for kitchen colleagues.
Staff welfare was treated as a primary design directive rather than an afterthought. Passionate about providing best-in-class working environments, Barchester’s layout prioritises natural light, dedicated air conditioning, and generous, ergonomic working areas and walkways.
Mervyn Knights, Hospitality Commissioning and Academy Manager at Barchester Healthcare, added: “We are incredibly proud to receive this award, particularly as the first healthcare organisation to be recognised alongside such well-known high-street brands. These innovations empower our chefs to achieve real operational efficiency so they can focus on what matters most – delivering exceptional, nutritious dining experiences for our residents. This milestone would not have been possible without the dedication of our Property Services and Procurement teams, as well as our brilliant equipment partners.”
A True Collaborative Effort The operational execution relies on strategic partnerships with specialist kitchen designers, including kitchen design and suppliers GS Catering, alongside key equipment manufacturers such as Rational, Meiko, Falcon, and Williams.
Karl Jones, Director at GS Catering Equipment Ltd, said: “Care homes have evolved massively over the years, and Barchester has been at the forefront of ensuring its offering remains among the best. Achieving this requires not only investing in top-tier equipment, but also investing the time for catering teams to become confident and comfortable using it. Consistency is key, and by rolling out the same equipment across both new and existing homes, we ensure every resident experiences the exact same high standard of care and quality, every single day.
“We have worked with Barchester for nearly 20 years, so we have seen how the sector has evolved and we have grown alongside them. That said, we never rest on our laurels, and we look forward to continuing this strong, collaborative partnership for another 20 years.”
Barchester Healthcare operates over 270 care homes and hospitals across the UK. The award-winning kitchen blueprint will continue to be rolled out across all future new-build developments and major refurbishment projects nationwide.
If you have a passion to work in catering in Care, you can apply to join the award-winning team at Barchester, with a wide range of job roles and opportunities available at barchestercareers.com.
ENDS