Gemma Evans-Hurley is a passionate chef with over 20 years of experience supporting Compass in key sectors such as business and industry (Eurest and 14forty).
Her responsibilities include food concept creation, supplier and partnership management and staff mentoring.
Gemma always dreamed of being a chef and graduated from the prestigious Westminster Kingsway College with a professional diploma.
Joining Compass in 2010 as a sous chef, Gemma has enjoyed a meteoric rise through the company. A born leader, she was promoted to head chef for Eurest aged just 21, then national executive chef a year later.
Her leadership skills in the kitchen, combined with her ability to motivate and inspire colleagues, helped earn Gemma promotion to Culinary Lead of Projects in 2021, her most senior role yet.
However, it is Gemma’s D&I work in a heavily male-dominated industry that really stands her out as a leader in her field. Since 2018, she has chaired Compass’ longstanding Women in Food initiative, which forms a key part of the group’s overarching D&I strategy.
Its aim is to tackle the shortage of female chefs by encouraging more women into the industry and support the development of existing female chefs. Through her drive, passion and inspirational leadership, Gemma has built this into a community of nearly 300 Compass employees, up from just six in 2021.