Our pupils do amazing things every single day, and visit many areas of the school, however, no area in the school is perhaps visited as much as the Dining Hall. A space that is meticulously run by our spotlight of the week, David Fayer, Catering Manager, making him one of the most recognisable faces around School.
When did you join Merchant Taylors’?
I joined Merchant Taylors’ in September 2014, arriving armed with a few decades’ worth of catering experience and probably the strongest collection of potato-based statistics you’ll ever hear. Before joining the school, I spent four years as the landlord of a pub in Abbots Langley – a role that teaches you a lot about people, patience, and the true meaning of the phrase “just one more.”
Before my time in the pub trade, I worked for the Royal Air Force at RAF Northolt, RAF Uxbridge and Bentley Priory, working as a Catering Facility and Events Manager, Mess Manager and Chef. I’ve spent around 40 years involved in catering in one form or another, from small kitchens to large military operations. One of my fondest memories from my RAF career was working alongside the Royal Flight at 32 Squadron and the associated VVIPS. I also had the honour of meeting and serving on many occasions the Battle of Britain veterans – an experience that left a deep and lasting impression. You never forget moments like that.
Tell us about your role here. What excites you about it, and how did you get into it?
My role involves wearing so many different hats that I sometimes feel like I should list ‘professional juggler’ on my CV. In essence, my job is to make sure that every day, across four lunchtime sittings, roughly 1,300 mouths are fed – and fed well. This includes managing budgets, leading the amazing catering team who pull this out the bag each day, planning menus and ensuring that we provide meals that cater to a huge range of dietary, religious, cultural and nutritional needs.
Allergen management is a major part of our day-to-day work – up to 16 different allergens can be in play at any one time, which means planning and organisation are absolutely crucial. Then, of course, there’s the logistical ballet of organising deliveries from more than 20 suppliers… and ensuring the LUN is stocked with everyone’s favourite snacks (a task that, in the eyes of some pupils, is perhaps the most important of all).
To give you a sense of scale: in a typical week we go through around 160kg of potatoes, 170kg of chips, 90kg of baby potatoes, 180kg of bananas, 132kg of apples and roughly 30 litres of tomato ketchup. That’s enough potatoes to build your own small fort – though I wouldn’t recommend it.
On top of main meals, we also handle teas, sandwiches, late teas, sports teas and the many events sprinkled generously throughout the year. It’s busy, sometimes hectic, but never boring. Catering has always been part of who I am, and I genuinely enjoy the challenge and energy of feeding a whole school.
What are you most proud of outside of work?
My family comes first every time. I’m the father of five daughters, grandfather to four grandsons, and husband to my wonderfully supportive wife, Kim – who has put up with my unusual enthusiasm for stock rotation for many years.
Beyond family life, I’ve been deeply involved in Scouting for over 40 years as both a Scout and Explorer leader. I still take groups to North Wales twice a year to climb and walk the mountain ranges, and I’ve completed all the major peaks more times than I dare to count.
Once upon a time – when I was somewhat considerably fitter – we even attempted the Three Peaks Challenge. We missed the target by three hours… which, in my book, is practically a photo finish. If I tried it today, I suspect the mountains would have time to move.
What did you study at College?
I studied Catering, at City & Guilds 706/1 and 706/2 level, which set me firmly on the culinary path that’s shaped most of my life.
What piece of media would you recommend, and why?
Two films I always recommend are Touching the Void and 127 Hours – both gripping stories of true survival, resilience and the triumph of the human spirit. They’re the sort of films that make you appreciate good teamwork… and perhaps double-check your climbing ropes.
Musically, I’m a big fan of Pink Floyd, Queen and Led Zeppelin. I’ve been lucky enough to see two of them live, and I often find myself watching YouTube clips of their performances – usually a little louder than Kim would prefer.
