Sodexo chef joins international elite

A Sodexo executive head chef has been accepted into a prestigious international culinary order.

Michael Godfrey, who leads Sodexo’s catering team at Eton College, was accepted into the Disciples d’Escoffier for his ‘commitment to promote our industry and to support the development of the profession”.

The Disciples d’Escoffier promotes the work of Auguste Escoffier, the French chef who developed the modern kitchen system and penned the seminal work The Complete Guide to the Art of Modern Cookery, which is still referenced today.

Michael, who in addition to his Eton College role is a training manager for Team UK in the WorldSkills competition, received his sash and certificate from Michael Escoffier, great grandson of the order’s founder, at an induction ceremony at the Landmark Hotel in Marylebone, London, in October.

Other UK disciples include Gary Rhodes, Raymond Blanc, Brian Turner, Anton Mosimann and Michael’s tutor at university, David Foskett.

In this lifetime Auguste Escoffier earned a worldwide reputation as director of kitchens at the Savoy Hotel. He was known as ‘king of the chefs and the chef of kings’. He invented the Peach Melba, in honour of opera singer Nellie Melba.

Michael Godfrey, Sodexo executive head chef at Eton College, said: “It is a brilliant honour and one I don’t take lightly. I was chuffed to bits. There was a chef aged 78 being invested at the same time. To be on stage with him at the age of 44 was humbling.” Jacques Pascier, president of Disciples d’Escoffier UK, said to Michael: “For many years you have shown your commitment to promote our industry and to support the development of the profession in its various aspects. We believe that all those years of hard work and your constant motivation deserve to be recognised and rewarded.”