Egg Soldiers: Meet Our Team
- TOPH FORDCo-Founder | Creative DirectorWith a background in food science and previous roles including Head of Food & Marketing for Leon Restaurants and Head of Hospitality Product Development at M&S, Toph has shaped brands and food offerings for industry leaders.
Toph has a keen eye for detail and is an expert in brand and concept development, creating food strategies, and mentoring food teams. - STEFAN COSSERCo-Founder | Managing DirectorHaving trained and worked as a chef in restaurants in his native Iceland, Stefan managed and led the creative team at Heston Blumenthal's The Fat Duck Experimental Kitchen for over 5 years.
A creative and strategic thinker, Stefan is most at home when using his creative, technical and operational expertise on fast moving innovation projects that require detailed planning. - JEMMA 'JJ' JACKSONProjects Director
JJ has a wealth of experience in hospitality and the casual dining sector, and extensive experience of menu development, operations, and training for PizzaExpress.
JJ's roles have focused on NPD and innovation management, trial & test, and launch of new product ranges.
Happiest working at pace on collaborative projects, she leads clients, and our teams through from research and ideation to implementation and launch.
- KATELINE PORRITTHead of Creative Insights
& MarketingFormerly the creative head of The Food People, Kateline leads our creative teams on their mission to bring exciting and relevant ideas to life for multinational retailers, global QSR, manufacturers and F&B brands.
With over a decade of global trend translation under her belt, Kateline is an industry leader in identifying new and changing food movements across the world and converting them into relevant ideas for consumers and diners.
- JOE PAYNESenior Development ChefJoe leads our culinary team in the development of standout menus, while also being the guiding hand on gold-standard training and implementation.
A classically trained chef with years of Michelin-level experience, Joe's creative and methodical approach help to create innovative dishes and detailed recipes. - CHARLIE CASEYAccount DirectorCharlie has invested the last 10+ years in working with start-ups and young businesses such as Farmer J and KERB food, striving on creative and process-driven projects through his expertise in ergonomics, operational pillars, and building from the ground up.
A well-respected figure across the F&B industry, Charlie experience spans food development, growth strategy, large scale venue projects and high-level operations across the UK, Europe, and the US. - JASMIN AYLINGAccount DirectorJasmin is a creative and strategic hospitality professional with over 13 years’ experience spanning food development, brand, and marketing with roles including Head of Food Innovation at both Wagamama and Prezzo, and brand management for PizzaExpress.
From working on start-ups, including her own street food business, to 400+ site brands, Jasmin brings a customer-focused, commercial approach to projects, with a passion for innovation and identifying growth opportunities.
- TOM GATEHOUSESenior Strategist
Tom is an expert food strategist with vast experience translating trends from across the global restaurant and retail scenes into actionable insights for major clients.
Previously food editor at WGSN, Pure NPD Insights and Food Spark, Tom delivers accessible, authoritative reports and immersive deep dives for F&B teams, inspiring innovation and driving momentum within strategic growth areas.
- LUCY HAWTHORNECreative Lead
Lucy has vast experience developing on-trend menus and food identities for global clients, ranging from quick-service chains to high-end dining destinations.
Her work calls upon her creativity and management skills to oversee projects and contribute towards the creation and launch of successful new concepts and menus. - TYLA MERVENDevelopment ChefTyla is a highly-trained chef with over 16 years of culinary expertise, spanning private households, hotels, luxury yachts, high-end restaurants, gastropubs and London’s vibrant street food scene.
Tyla’s strengths lie in creative menu development, team training, and operational management, which he combines with a deep love for food to craft exceptional dining experiences and drive successful business.
- FLORA WILLIAMSCreative InsightsFlora has a wealth of knowledge across F&B product development and trends, having led the implementation of insights at the premium ingredient company Belazu for over five years.
During her time there, she delivered insight-driven products for restaurants, chefs, retailers and manufacturers, providing her with an extensive understanding of the process of taking a food trend right through to a winning food concept.
- INDRE JONEIKYTEMenu Development CoordinatorWith a Human Sciences degree from UCL focused on food and nutrition, Indre has worked across the culinary spectrum, including at Super 8 Restaurants.
This blend of knowledge and experience has given her a deep understanding of food’s cultural, scientific, and social significance.
Her multifaceted perspective combines creativity with expertise, offering unique and well-rounded insights. - SIMON TAYLORCustomer Insight & Market Research AssociateSimon has over 30 years of experience in market research, marketing strategy, and commercial operations.
With his extensive experience in hospitality and retailing, Simon shapes research solutions to meet our client's unique needs and goals.
Simon loves to help our clients establish a deeper connection with their customers, gaining authentic insights directly from real individuals, insights that genuinely transform their business.
Egg Soldiers: Helping food businesses succeed
Our co-founders Toph and Stefan have assembled some of the best minds in the industry – a team of strategic thinkers, creative minds, and commercial and operational experts with unparalleled experience supporting food businesses across sectors.
For us, this is not just a business, but a passion. Our success has been led by teamwork and idea sharing across our team and a collaborative approach with our clients.
This approach has been fundamental to our success - we look forward to sharing this success with you!