Having worked in hospitality for many years and often supported the military in his previous role, Horsell Lodge Head Chef Gavin Speller, was proud to be chosen to receive the King’s Coronation Medal.
Operation Golden Orb
Almost two years ago, on 23rd May 2023, the nation celebrated the coronation of King Charles and his wife Camilla. The phrase organised with ‘military precision’ was never more relevant!
At the time, Horsell Lodge Head Chef, Gavin, was part of a team engaged to support the troops involved in ‘Operation Golden Orb’. This involved feeding the troops while they were rehearsing for the coronation and also on the day itself. As the troops were rotating on 8 hour shifts, this meant offering a catering service 24 hrs a day, providing hot food on site and packed meals to take away.
A Vital Cog in the Coronation Wheel
As Catering Manager, Gavin was overseeing a team of 43, both civilian and military, and had been tasked to feed an extra 2000 people on top of the 1000 he normally catered for. The company Gavin worked for had hosted the same troops for the Queen’s funeral so they had experience of a landmark occasion although things didn’t always go to plan this time around. “Requirements were constantly changing”, Gavin explained, “and it wasn’t unusual to receive a text message at 7.00pm requesting 4000 bottles of water and 1000 packed lunches the next day! Luckily our suppliers were brilliant. I remember my Account Manager once driving a van to their depot in Reading to collect 8000 bottles of water”!
Although he was too busy to really feel the full impact of Coronation Day itself, Gavin described the experience as “… quite moving, seeing the troops returning in their ceremonial uniforms”.
Celebrating His Contribution to the Coronation
At the beginning of April, Gavin received an invitation from the DIO to say a citation had been submitted for his contribution to the Coronation. He was later delighted to hear that his daughter, who had worked for the same company, was due to receive the medal too.
The ceremony took place at The Guards Chapel, Wellington Barracks near St James’s Park in London. Gavin had catered for Prince William & Catherine, Princess of Wales a couple of times, and Prince Phillip back in 2017, so he is no stranger to a royal occasion or etiquette. No need to remind him of the dress code that stated, no shorts, trainers or denim!
A Career in Care like Cooking for Family
Gavin’s daily routine is very different these days and residents at Horsell Lodge and beyond are certainly benefiting from his expertise and creativity. Last year his Courgette and Lemon cake won the Caring Homes competition to find a Signature Cake, which has since been recreated by chefs across the group and featured on High Tea trolleys each week.
Reflecting on the world he used to inhabit, Gavin said, “Although I am immensely proud of what I achieved whilst working with the military, I am so happy to be working in the care sector. It’s great to really know the residents and to be able to make them happy. It’s more like cooking for family”.
