Taste Cheshire Appoints new CEO #Blog
Briony Wilson
18th May 2021
Twelve years since he created Taste Cheshire, CEO and founder, Stephen Wundke is to stand down from that position and hand over the reins to the current General Manager, Briony Wilson.
Stephen Wundke, who has been ever-present throughout the life of Taste Cheshire is delighted to be handing control over to Ms Wilson.
“When I started Taste Cheshire my aim was to create a company that was the definitive website for food and drink in Cheshire and it genuinely thrills me to see us having achieved that status. There is no other organisation in Cheshire who represents our food and drink producers, retailers, our pubs and restaurants and the many outstanding food and drink events that we run across Cheshire. Of this I am very proud. I am also extremely proud to be handing over to Briony Wilson. Anyone who has got to know Briony over the last 6 years will know the passion she has for the industry, the work ethic that she has instilled in our team and the way she simply cares about every person who interacts with our business. She is a special person, and she will do a fantastic job of driving Taste Cheshire forward over the coming years.
In addition to a new CEO, I am pleased to announce that we have appointed Tori Hayes, as our Chief Marketing Officer. Tori joined us some 18 months ago and in a very short time has endeared herself to our customers and shown a deep understanding of the needs of the industry. She comes from a hospitality operator background and simply “got” Taste Cheshire from day one. She will make a formidable partner for Briony.”
Wundke will remain as Chairman of Taste Cheshire and whilst he is undertaking other roles currently, Taste Cheshire and its success will remain at the forefront of his ambitions.
Newly appointed CEO, Briony Wilson was looking forward to the challenge. “The last 15 months have been a real challenge for the industry and for us at Taste Cheshire. We took a decision to support all of our members through lockdown because we knew they would need us to put out as many positive messages as possible. Now that we are getting back to ‘normality’ the future of the industry looks incredibly exciting. Our major events of both Deva Fest and the Taste Cheshire Food and Drink Festival are scheduled for August and we are hopeful we will shortly be releasing a huge programme of events around these major attractions. I can’t wait to get on with showing the rest of the UK just how special Cheshire is and how we are getting it right in 2021.”
Chief Marketing Officer, Tori Hayes welcomed the challenge as she explained, “When I came to Taste Cheshire it was because I wanted to make a difference in an industry that I simply love. Being able to talk to over 30,000 local foodies every day and email over 18,000 Taste Cheshire Members, offers us the most amazing platform to tell real people about just how special our food and drink producers and retailers are. If I could have invented a dream job, this would be the one. Our aim now is to just keep growing this business and deliver even more business for our members.”
Taste Cheshire’s platform continues to grow with the recent addition of TC POD – The Taste Cheshire Podcast, which is available on Apple, Amazon and Spotify podcast platforms and features interviews with local food and drink heroes as well as all the news, events and offers from Taste Cheshire members.
Taste Cheshire is well known in the area for their organisation of the Chester Food and Drink Festival, Monthly Farmer’s markets and for their Taste Cheshire Awards which set the industry standard locally.