From care home kitchens to culinary leadership: how Barchester and Chef Mervyn Knights are supporting career growth in care catering.
Barchester Healthcare’s National Chef Academy has been transforming care home dining – training and upskilling hundreds of chefs across 260 care homes and serving over a million meals every week.
At its heart is Mervyn Knights. Once a kitchen assistant at Barchester’s Queens Court Care Home in Wimbledon, he now leads the Academy, blending Michelin-inspired precision with a mission to train the next generation of care home chefs and redefine culinary careers across the UK.
A Journey from Kitchen Assistant to Chef Academy Leader
When Mervyn walked into Queens Court in 2002, he never imagined he’d one day head a national chef training programme. Over two decades, he rose through the ranks, winning Barchester’s Chef of the Year before taking charge of the Barchester’s National Chef Academy in the role of Hospitality Commissioning and Academy Manager - which now delivers 50 workshops annually across five divisions.
Michelin-Star Training Inspiring Barchester Chefs
A turning point came when Mervyn swapped the care home kitchen for a week at Raymond Blanc’s two-Michelin-starred Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons.
“I wanted to see first-hand how the very best do it - the precision, the discipline, the creativity,” Mervyn recalls. “Each day I was in a different section: sauces, pastries, prep, the service line. It was a complete education.”
Back at Barchester, those lessons have shaped the Academy’s training - precision plating, teamwork, and the art of presentation now sit alongside nutrition and menu planning at the heart of the curriculum.
“People eat with their eyes first - presentation matters just as much as flavour,” says Mervyn.
Building Careers - Not Just Jobs
Today, the Academy trains chefs from entry-level to head chef with clear progression pathways, apprenticeships, and the chance to compete in nationwide Chef competitions across the Barchester group.
“Barchester is committed to investing in the next generation of chefs,” Mervyn explains. “We want them to leave with skills, confidence, and a sense of achievement – knowing they’re making a difference in the lives of others.”
For chefs used to late nights and split shifts, the training in the Academy and cheffing in care offers predictable hours and the opportunity to build a long-term career with purpose.
Meeting Workforce Challenges Head-On
Chef vacancies are at a decade high, and the removal of chefs from the Skilled Worker Visa list in July 2025 has intensified the industry’s challenges. With nearly one in four Britons expected to be over 65 by 2040, the Academy is developing homegrown talent to meet the rising demand for quality care home dining.
Food at the Heart of Care
At Barchester, food means more than nutrition – it means community and celebration. Academy-trained chefs create everything from high-protein meal plans to birthday teas, themed events, and Sunday roasts that bring residents and families together.
“Our residents love traditional dishes – roast dinners, fish and chips, afternoon teas. Families join in for birthdays and celebrations. It brings people together,” says Mervyn.
At a time when chef shortages are biting, Barchester is proving care home kitchens can offer meaningful, future-proof careers, combining restaurant-quality skills with the warmth of care.
Be part of Barchester Chef Academy
Barchester is recruiting now for chefs at all levels, offering training, career progression, and the chance to carve out a fulfilling career. For more information, click here.
