New Head of Culinary to take innovation in hot food-to-go to next level

As the world-leading hot-holding manufacturer and food-to-go specialist continues to expand, Flexeserve has strengthened the culinary team at its global HQ with the appointment of JP Felix as Head of Culinary.

With a wealth of experience in leading kitchen operations to exceptional performance, JP Felix (also known as John-Paul) builds on a wide-ranging career working for big name brands such as YO! Sushi, LEGOLAND and Mitchells & Butlers.

As Flexeserve’s Head of Culinary, he’s responsible for all aspects of food development, bringing fresh ideas to life for new menus, food testing and packaging. JP will help retailers and foodservice operators hot-hold and serve a wider variety of incredible hot food, so they can sell more and waste less.

JP Felix brings extensive culinary knowledge

JP has a proven track record for restructuring the menus of high-performance kitchens, having previously worked for YO! Sushi as Retail Development Chef. In addition to playing a key role in food development for YO! Sushi as a whole, he was instrumental in creating the brand’s hot food-to-go programme, which was key to its strategic growth.

JP also worked as Head Chef at LEGOLAND, leading cross-functional teams and managing all areas of the kitchen to ensure an exceptional guest experience.

“I’m thrilled to be bringing my experience to the role of Head of Culinary at Flexeserve,” JP said. I was first introduced to the team when I was creating YO! Sushi’s hot food-to-go concept. It was incredible to discover the scale of what can be achieved when supported by the world’s best hot-holding technology and expertise.

“I know just how amazing hot food can be and am thrilled to be part of Flexeserve’s mission to elevate the customer experience by revolutionizing the way we serve and eat hot food.”

Tailored hot-holding solutions

Through food development, JP can help devise operational strategies in line with customers’ business goals, such as creating a standout brand, extending food range or reducing waste.

JP Felix said: “My passion lies in using innovation and precision to create culinary excellence – I love transforming ideas from concepts on pen and paper into delicious, ready-to-eat hot food. I’m looking forward to helping Flexeserve’s customers develop their menus with wider variety and incredible food quality that can be maintained for unrivaled hold times.

“From refining a menu and creating new grab-and-go concepts to identifying packaging solutions and all things in between, I’m excited to bring my experience to this role at Flexeserve, helping drive innovation and continuous improvement across our customers’ culinary programs.”

Delivering Flexeserve Solution

In his role, JP also supports Flexeserve’s team of in-house experts in delivering the industry’s only hot-holding service, Flexeserve Solution. With this all-encompassing service – comprising Technology, Food, Culinary, Packaging, Implement and Connect – the manufacturer helps customers achieve true hot-holding with ease.

In addition to his experience in a variety of kitchen environments, JP holds a Diploma in Teaching for the Lifelong Learning Sector from the University of Warwick and has worked as a Retail and Kitchen Skills Trainer. He’ll apply this knowledge to his position as Head of Culinary at Flexeserve, helping train and develop the sales and culinary teams within its global partners and distributors.

JP concluded: “As a brand, we’re dedicated to achieving excellence in hot-holding and developing pioneering new solutions for our customers. We can help you unlock the potential of Flexeserve technology so you can take the hot food-to-go experiences of your customers to the next level.”

JP Felix joins a team of in-house hot food experts

JP Felix works alongside Culinary Support Specialist, Chris Snaith, who joined Flexeserve in late 2023. Chris brings 10 years of culinary experience and field consultancy for quick-serve restaurants, equipping him with a first-hand understanding of the challenges in the foodservice market and what’s needed to achieve optimum quality and efficiencies.

Chris works in partnership with Holly Francis, Head of Customer Development, who has over 15 years’ sales experience in the foodservice industry. As well as developing new and existing business in UK&I, Holly nurtures relationships to provide each customer a with tailored solution – so they have the perfect equipment to advance their operation.

JP will also be supporting Flexeserve’s network of high-calibre distributors by working closely with EMEA Account Manager Kristian Ward, to jointly develop Flexeserve’s distributor standards and training program. Drawing on 30 years’ experience and a wealth of knowledge in operations, Kristian is responsible for managing key customer accounts throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Expert lead on in-store implementation is Dirk Wissmann, the highly accomplished former Senior Equipment Manager for Pret A Manger. As Operational Support and Development Manager for Flexeserve, Dirk has been pivotal in the creation of Connect by Flexeserve, the world’s first cloud-based service for hot-holding, helping you control and automate your entire estate – so you can sell more and waste less at every location.

Connecting with our vision

Warwick Wakefield, Director of Customer Experience, said: “We’re delighted to have JP Felix join our growing team of game-changing experts. He shared Flexeserve’s vision from the moment we met him and has a rich culinary background, making him well-suited to support our customers – from global brands to independent operators.

“JP shares our passion and enthusiasm for advancing the world of food-to-go, and appreciates the competitive advantage that our customers can achieve from using our world-patented technology. With unmatched creativity, he’s highly adept at identifying the potential for our customers’ hot food operations, and it’s great to have him on board.”