About Us

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Our team

We're a team of like-minded hospitality professionals who love sharing ideas and solving challenges.
  • TOPH FORD
    Co-Founder | Creative Director
    With 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 COSSER
    Co-Founder | Managing Director
    Having 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 JACKSON
    Head of Projects
    Jemma has a wealth of experience in hospitality and the casual dining sector, and extensive experience of product development, operations, and training for PizzaExpress. Jemma's role as F&B Manager focused on NPD and innovation management, trial and test, and launch of new product ranges.

    Happiest working at pace on collaborative projects, leading clients, and teams through from research and ideation to implementation and launch.
  • ANN ELLIOTT
    Senior Board Adviser
    Ann is a portfolio non exec and board advisor. She has worked with leading brands on various aspects of strategy, branding, and communication over the course of her career.

    Ann is also an industry connector. She is a speaker, facilitator, mentor, and board member of several industry organisations, including Arena, Oxford Brookes, and UKHospitality.

    With her extensive industry knowledge, Ann supports the Egg Soldiers board as an adviser.

Awarded Best Bespoke Food Consultants 2023 - UK - Luxlife
  • KATELINE PORRITT
    Head of Trends
    Kateline has built a career in identifying new and changing food movements across the world and converting them into relevant ideas for consumers and diners.

    Following a Food Science degree Kateline started in product development before immersing in the world of trends and bringing ideas to life for multinational retailers, global QSR, manufacturers and F&B brands.

  • SIMON O'SHEA
    Account Director
    Simon started his career in luxury hotels before moving into contract catering and focussing on operations management. He worked at a senior level across B&I, retail, airline and leisure sectors delivering complex projects, mobilisations and business growth.

    Simon's detailed knowledge of commercial food operations, menu development and kitchen design has led to a successful track record of delivering a wide range of projects across for leading hospitality businesses.
  • LUCY HAWTHORNE
    Creative Lead
    A trained photographer, Lucy's passion for food and her artistic eye allowed her to contribute towards numerous cookbooks and food advertising campaigns for the likes of Sainsbury's and Tesco.

    Lucy's work calls upon her creativity and management skills to oversee projects and contribute towards the creation and launch of successful new concepts and menus.

  • SIMON TAYLOR
    Customer Insight & Market Research Associate
    Simon 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.

  • POLLY BARNES
    Associate Account Director
    Polly has over 20 years' experience in hospitality, predominately in the casual dining market where she worked for the last 8 years as an Operations Director across independents and brands. She is analytical in approach, underpinned by her understanding of people having previously been Head Of Training for Wagamama before embarking on an operational path. Having worked with entrepreneurs and restaurateurs she is quick to adapt to different working styles and enjoys the challenge of detailed projects.
  • JOE PAYNE
    Development Chef
    A classically trained chef, having learnt his trade in some of the UK's top restaurants and hotels, with years of Michelin star experience, his travels and time living and working abroad have helped develop an Asian influence in his cooking.

    With his classical background and use of modern techniques, Joe's creative and methodical approach help to create innovative dishes and detailed recipes.
  • DAVID HUGHES
    Development Chef & Kitchen Operations Consultant
    David's interest in restaurants and hospitality started early and saw him work at a number of restaurants including Scott's Restaurant in London. Having completed his Professional Chef Diploma and FdA in Culinary Arts at Westminster Kingsway, David went on to complete a BSc in Food Product Development at London South Bank University

    Having worked as a NPD Technologist and Development Chef for leading suppliers and foodservice operators, David knows what it takes to deliver both great dishes and the detailed operational processes behind the recipes.
  • TOM GATEHOUSE
    Senior Trends 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.

  • HANNAH ATTON
    Trends & Insights Analyst
    Hannah is an F&B insights specialist with years of experience inspiring product innovation for key global brands via creative reports that deliver valuable market intelligence.

    Her background in Food Science & Nutrition, NPD and R&D enables her to unravel cutting-edge research into actionable recommendations to drive customer-focused innovation and winning food strategies.

We're always looking for new talent to join our team
Send us your CV

Our approach: helping food businesses succeed

Launched in 2018, the idea for Egg Soldiers was born a few years earlier. Co-founders Toph and Stefan had collaborated on several new hospitality concept projects saw a niche for an expert hospitality agency, bringing together trends insight, creativity and operational nous.

We have assembled some of the best minds in the industry – our team is a group of strategic thinkers, creative minds, and commercial and operational experts – all full of good ideas and eager to take on a challenge.

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 - let us share this success with you.
Schedule a call or meeting today