Michelle Izen – PA to Tony Page

Michelle has worked for Tony Page for 3 years and, having formerly had a career in Public Relations, she is well equipped to handle the daily challenges as Tony’s PA.

With a bubbly personality, being one step ahead of the game is her secret to successfully running Tony’s busy schedule ensuring he gets to appointments on time and co-ordinating his diary.

While her job is nothing short of pressurised, it is a fun and diverse environment and is totally different to anywhere else she has ever worked. Michelle has the upmost respect for Tony and and what he has achieved and is always amazed how his ideas on paper evolve into a spectacular event!

Michelle loves …

All events, but in particular a three day wedding beginning with lunch at Claridges, a Shabbat dinner at The Mandarin Oriental and, the conclusion, a stunning party at the Dorchester on Saturday night.

Hot chocolate fondant

David Gould – Director

David is a Director at Tony Page Ltd and after a chance meeting with Tony 15 years ago, is now responsible for many aspects of the business.

Primarily he has the demanding task of liaising with the Beth Din to ensure all their requirements are met and that the annual license is renewed. These diplomatic skills have also been useful in mediating between the Shomer and staff behind the scenes to ensure all events run smoothly and everyone is happy! Having a sense of humour is clearly a necessity in his job, and this is evident around the office, he does like a practical joke!

Another challenging role is sourcing specialist and unusual kosher products and ingredients from around the world that the chef has requested for a specific dish. David is also responsible for the purchase of much of the companies equipment be it a drinking glass or an oven, and overseeing travel logistics to and from each event which is a great feat in itself!

David loves…

The most lavish to the most orthodox weddings

The chef’s notorious Roast Beef, any shape potatoes and a 16 year old Lagavulin.

Jamie Landesberg – Event Planner

Jamie joined Tony Page following 2 ½ years experience at Home House organising members’ events. She wanted to understand the ethos behind Jewish functions and when an opportunity presented itself, Jamie knew it was the chance she had been waiting for.

With an enthusiastic and gutsy attitude to her work, Jamie understands the importance of the first client meeting and that this is the time to clearly interpret what the client needs and their expectation of the event. Knowing if they need ‘hand holding’ or whether they are focused and have a clear vision is a skill Jamie possesses.

Jamie is naturally creative so revels in opportunities where clients request her creative input whether it’s a meeting with the florist or a query on menu design. As no two events are the same, every week offers something diverse and exciting.

Jamie loves…

A challenge … the greater the challenge, the more motivated she becomes.

Hot chocolate fondant with caramelized oranges

Nikki Levitt – Senior Event Manager

Nikki has been with Tony Page for 7 years following a career in event management. Sociable, hardworking and loyal, she believes that the success of an event is based on the relationship with the client rather than the actual function itself.

Working closely from the initial meeting through to suggestions for menus, venues, florists and bands is so exciting as every client is special and their requirements are never the same. Knowing how anxious clients can be while planning their event, particularly nervous brides, Nikki is always readily available to offer guidance and support at all times.

A great deal of her work is now charity based in particular Jewish Care and she thoroughly enjoys being part of an enthusiastic team and the inspiration and encouragement they give each other.

Nikki loves…

A party where Claridges was transformed into Alice in Wonderland and a James Bond themed Barmitzvah at the Dorchester

Miso black cod and sushi

Winnie Lim – Banqueting Staff Manager

Winnie has been with Tony Page for 5 ½ years following 2 years at the Bluebird Club running private parties for up 90 people.

Working closely with Operations, she is now responsible for organising all waiting, bar and ‘front of house’ staff while also managing the team at the function. With up to 90 people to oversee at the largest function, naturally her organisational skills are excellent!

Teamwork is essential in her job and working with supportive and reliable colleagues is crucial. Winnie is motivated by compliments from clients who really appreciate what she does and always remembers her even though she has less contact with them than the event planners.

Winnie feels so lucky to have been given the opportunity to work at Tony Page as she has learnt so many things. The most interesting fact being that within the Jewish community, family is so important.

Winnie loves…

Seeing the transformation from an empty room into an elaborate fine dining room and watching clients and their guests enjoy the evening.

Sashimi and hot chocolate fondant

Possidonio Da Silva – Operations Manager

Da Silva or ‘Mr. Silva’ as he is famously known has worked with Tony Page for over 30 years. He is responsible for organising the hire of linen, tables, chairs, wines and champagne, as well as overseeing the installation of equipment during set up and supervising the service during the event.

Mr. Silva has become an iconic figure at Tony Page; so many guests know and love him probably due to his composed disposition and the fact that he is able to sort any problem with a calm and unflustered nature. Keeping everyone happy is always a challenge but somehow he always manages it with a smile!

Working with Tony for so many years has been fascinating and he has learnt so much. Although it is incredibly hard and coupled with very long hours it is also very rewarding as every event has its own distinctive quality.

Mr. Silva loves…

A fabulous Barmitzvah brunch in the South of France and a star-studded Anniversary party at a celebrity’s home in Totteridge

Miso black cod, rack of lamb, roast beef and hot chocolate fondant

Michael Wilding – Executive Chef

Charming and composed, Executive Chef Michael joined Tony Page 12 years ago following an impressive training at some of the best restaurants all over the world.

On arrival Michael knew nothing about Kashrut laws or its restrictions and had to quickly learn the limitations it imposed while still creating exciting and delicious food. Menus at that time were relatively basic but over the years the transformation to far more exotic, interesting, innovative and complicated dishes has been remarkable.

Behind the scenes though Michael also has many more mundane and equally pressurised responsibilities for transportation and kitchen staff as well as managing up to 80 chefs at any one time.

His favourite function was cooking at No 11 Downing Street for the Prime Minister and Lord Levy although he does love the challenge of catering for huge numbers too. On one occasion he prepared a three course dinner for 2000 people at 7 events on the same night and everyone was happy! An incredible achievement!

Michael has worked in some of the most bizarre places but with careful planning and stringent risk assessment he claims he can work his magic anywhere!

Michael loves…

Steak, home cooked fries and béarnaise sauce

Jewish Holidays!! (a day off!)

Raj Vala – Company Accountant

Raj joined Tony Page 10 years ago having worked as an accountant for several large corporations in India. He heard the company had an excellent reputation, accepted the job and has never looked back. He has always been treated like a family member by Tony and enjoys being part of a big team.

Together with his assistant, they handle all financial matters including purchase ledger and payroll.

From the very beginning Tony put his total trust in Raj and left him solely responsible for the company accounts. Having a calm, approachable nature has put him in good stead for the many challenges that present themselves on a daily basis. Fortunately Raj works well under pressure and has only taken 3 holidays in 10 years!

Its not all work though! Raj still has managed to play Indian and Western drums in various bands in the UK and Europe when time permits!

Raj loves…

Hot chocolate fondant and homemade cookies

Nick Garanito – Warehouse Supervisor

Nick has been with Tony Page for 19 years since the company was first founded. Before that time he worked with Tony at Schaverien for 4 ½ years and is one of the longest serving members of the team.

Although he is very much behind the scenes, his job is equally as important as the event planners. He manages all aspects of the warehouse including the cleaning staff and equipment and is also responsible for the smooth running of all operations and keeping everyone happy.

The warehouse is the nerve centre of the business and has to run like clockwork so Nick can leave nothing to chance. An organised approach is essential to the day to day management of his department. When he’s not locked away in his office he also drives the trucks to and from events.

Dealing with all types people often under pressure, Nick has learnt to adapt his personality to suit the situation. Some people may call it clever others may say it’s being diplomatic!

Nick loves…

The ‘wow’ factor when he sees the room set up for an event

Miso black cod, rack of lamb

Chia Appleby – Senior Event Planner

Chia joined Tony Page 5 years ago as an assistant and through quiet determination has now proved herself as a highly motivated member of the team.

Vivacious and bubbly, she views her relationship with her clients as incredibly personal and crucial to the success of the event. It is about connecting rather than simply doing a job.

Chia loves watching ideas and designs come to life and the transformation from a vision to reality. She has a very ‘hands on’ approach and is very much a ‘detail’ person. Although team support is vital, Chia embraces the fact that everyone has their own individual clients and independence .

She is incredibly motivated by the bigger vision of the company and is constantly learning and developing while also being inspired creatively. While Chia is very excited to be working at Tony Page and is very passionate about her job, she knows that striking a balance between work and her private life is essential.

Chia loves…

The challenge of the bigger events and always pushing the boundaries

Chicken schwarma

Duarte Silva – Sous Chef

Duarte started as a kitchen porter 14 years ago and is the longest serving chef. His philosophy is simple; even if you’re under pressure and panicking … don’t show it!

Working closely with Executive Chef Michael, he is constantly creating new ideas and dishes to keep the menus fresh and exciting. Inspired by Asian cuisine as his wife is Phillipino, his passion is Oriental dishes which he tries to incorporate into menus as much as possible.

Variety in his work and continually increasing his skills and knowledge keeps Duarte motivated. He ardently loves what he does as he claims he couldn’t do it day and night otherwise. Being organised and calm is the key to running a successful busy kitchen as he often has to oversee up to 15 chefs at any one time.

Duarte is incredibly inspired by Tony and has great admiration for his drive and what he has achieved since the company started.

Duarte loves…

Travelling, experiencing new cultures and his days off!

A party for 50 guests in Budapest

Hot chocolate fondant

John Yates – Head of Operations

John has worked with Tony Page for 14 years and handles the logistics of all events. He co-ordinates closely with Winnie and Mr. Silva to mastermind the mechanics of a function and iron out any potential problems before they arise.

He is involved in a project from the initial site visit, to client meetings while also determining timings, menu restrictions due to locations, health and safety and risk assessment where necessary.

To say John’s job can be challenging and incredibly taxing is an understatement but at the same time it’s very rewarding and never mundane.

Working to the highest standards and achieving the best quality possible inspires and motivates John as well as knowing the client is happy and the function ran smoothly.

John puts the success of the business down to the fact that Tony is accessible 24 / 7 and an instant response to an issue is always available.

John loves…

A 40th wedding anniversary party for its opulence and a beautiful wedding in the South of France which was mentally and physically hard but a huge success

Roast beef with all the trimmings and Miso black cod

Cathy Cyzer – Event Team Manager

With a strong background in catering and corporate and event management, Cathy joined Tony Page 5 years ago and is joint team manager with Sarah. As well as running her own events, she is responsible for supervising staff, allocating work and problem solving within the office.

High energy, dedicated and totally committed, Cathy loves so many aspects of her job in particular her creative input into an event and the personal relationship she builds with her clients from the first phone call through to the end of the event. Although very pressurised, her job is both exciting and fun and working with an enthusiastic and supportive team is very rewarding.

To create a stunning event and have positive feedback and praise from a client is incredibly satisfying and highly motivating. While it is always difficult to produce new and inspiring ideas Cathy believes that this is what sets Tony Page apart from other caterers. Constantly producing high quality food despite restrictions they are governed by, is, in Cathy’s opinion quite an amazing achievement. This and the fact that they are always striving for perfection and to be the best!

Cathy loves…

A fabulous wedding in Monaco despite the challenges of working abroad and the scale of the event, it was sensational.

The infamous Sunday brunch food stations with a Bloody Mary.

Tony Page

Tony Page has learnt a great deal in the last 19 years since he founded the company in 1991. He is unequivocal in his expectations of high quality, excellent service and beautiful presentation which he cannot impress highly enough upon his staff.

He is fanatical about detail which he believes is a fundamental element of the success of any event. He wants every function to be fantastic and is as passionate about a dinner for 500 guests as he is about a dinner party for 8!

Having studied in Paris, his enthusiasm to learn and always strive for excellence has been the secret to his success. Tony understands quality service and quality cuisine. He knows that clients demand the best and he and his team always aim to deliver the same standards that he himself would want.

To this day Tony is personally involved in every function and likes to have ultimate final control. He is totally clear that there is no merit in being complacent and with a highly experienced and loyal management, operations and events team in place nothing is ever left to chance. Risk assessment is a high priority at any function.

Tony has an insatiable appetite for his product and that in turn motivates the entire team. He is always looking for inspiration and fresh ideas to take the business to the next level.

With his flair, style, creativity, drive and determination and his ardor for delicious food and fine wines, it is hardly surprising Tony Page has transformed the company into the successful cutting edge Kosher caterer that it is today.

Sarah Taylor – Events Team Manager

Sarah has been with Tony Page for 11 years and together with Cathy, she shares the day to day management of clients, staff and all related HR and administrative issues.

Having studied Hospitality Management at University, she already had an interest in events and catering. Together with her organisational skills and enthusiastic approach, she has thrived in the pressurised yet fun environment.

She sees her job as vocational and loves everything about it; developing relationships, talking to clients, her team and the food!

Her greatest satisfaction is seeing the client’s pleasure at the event she has created but more importantly the complete journey from the initial meeting to the final goodbye at the end of their party.

Her favourite and most challenging function was a 40th anniversary party in the client’s home. When else, asks Sarah, do you have to arrange for a helicopter to land in their back garden?

Sarah loves…

Miso black cod and hot chocolate fondant

Melvyn Bentley – Director

Melvyn has known Tony for over 40 years and has been mentor, friend, counsel and business partner to him throughout their long relationship.

Melvyn’s entrepreneurial skills have been invaluable particularly when Tony Page Ltd was established. He brought expertise and experience on so many levels that Tony made no crucial decisions without first consulting him and even today the same is true.

He has always been available to offer help and encouragement predominantly in the early days when impartial advice was required on the technicalities of launching a new private company.

With such a discerning clientele, it is vital to have an entrepreneurial partner who can bring an element of clarity and perspective to sometimes difficult situations. Their relationship is unique in that they both have one vision but bring something different and equally as important to the partnership.

Melvyn is both endearing and charming and it is therefore no surprise that clients naturally warm to him and in some instances feel comfortable if he remains involved throughout the planning of their function.

Today he feels enormous pride at Tony’s success and has thoroughly enjoyed being part of the journey and progress. He is as passionate about the business as Tony is and gets enormous pleasure from the overwhelming reaction and positive comments from clients and guests alike.

Melvyn loves…

Friday night Shabbat dinner!

Charlotte Spencer – Event Planner

Charlotte recently joined Tony Page following a demanding role running corporate events for a large group of nightclubs.

As an Event Planner she co-ordinates her events from start to finish and loves watching the evolution of the party when all areas she has been working on for months finally come together.

Bubbly, funny, dedicated and ambitious, Charlotte is motivated by the enthusiastic team she works with and is proud to be involved in such an established and high profile company.

Her favourite event to date was an elaborate Golden wedding anniversary party at the Dorchester for a long established client who was celebrating yet another function with Tony Page.

Charlotte loves…

Chocolate brioche bread and butter pudding

Charlotte Kent – Office Manager

Charlotte recently joined Tony Page following an internship at an Events Company specialising in Fundraising. Although she studied Law at University, she always had a strong desire to work in the events industry.

As Office Manager, her role covers a multitude of responsibilities from placing the weekly bread and meat order for all events to venue research and general office administrative duties.

Charlotte finds it fascinating how many different components are involved in creating an event and the preparations behind the scenes. Venue research is also an element of her job she loves and finds very interesting.

Bubbly and a perfectionist by nature, she loves the enthusiastic team and energising atmosphere within the office and believes that there is no better company to work for in the world of Jewish events.

Charlotte loves…

Sticky toffee pudding