Victoria Croucher's Process Leader Level 4 Story with COOK

Vic joined COOK nine years ago as a Development Chef. She later moved into the operational side of the business, initially supporting the scale-up of recipes from development into production before progressing into a production management role.

Her current title of Executive Chef reflects the food-led nature of the position, although its scale and responsibilities are comparable to those of a senior production or manufacturing manager.

Vic had been in the role for around three years at the time of her interview, having moved into it at approximately the same time as she began the apprenticeship.

That timing was important, as naturally there’s always the juggle of day to day priorities versus the commitment to off the job hours. She was not learning in preparation for a possible future leadership position; she was applying the programme while navigating the realities of one.

“I had moved into a much bigger role, covering production, people, safety and quality. Nothing could slip because I was doing a course, so the learning had to be relevant to the work and something I could apply as I went.”

COOK began in 1997 with the principle of preparing meals by hand, using carefully sourced ingredients and techniques people would recognise from cooking at home.

Since then, it has grown into a nationally recognised food business, with more than 100 shops and concessions, a network of independent stockists and nationwide online delivery. Its savoury meals are prepared in Kent, with puddings produced in Somerset.

That growth had also changed the scale of its manufacturing operation. Vic explained that COOK’s presence in Sittingbourne had expanded relatively quickly from one production site to three.

The business was already highly capable in areas such as people development, team leadership and creating a positive workplace culture. However, its rapid growth had created an opportunity to bring greater depth and structure to its manufacturing and continuous improvement practices.

Vic wanted to stretch herself personally, but she also recognised the value of bringing that capability back into COOK.

“We had grown quickly from one site to three. We were strong at getting things done, but we did not have the same depth of formal manufacturing and continuous improvement knowledge within the business. I wanted to increase my own knowledge, but also bring some of that expertise into COOK.”

The breadth of the Process Leader programme made it particularly relevant. Its combination of operational leadership, continuous improvement, quality, health and safety, change management and workplace project activity reflected the varied nature of Vic’s role rather than isolating development into a single subject.

Vic initially wondered how much she would gain from the programme’s leadership content.

COOK already invests significantly in internal leadership development, and Vic had accumulated considerable practical experience of managing performance, supporting individuals and building effective teams.

However, the programme did not simply repeat what she already knew. It helped her place that experience within a wider theoretical and industry context, validating established strengths while introducing tools and perspectives that were new to her.

“Some of the leadership content confirmed that I had been doing the right things, but it was valuable to understand the theory behind it. It refined the skills I already had and helped me become a more well-rounded leader.”

One particularly valuable area was leading through change.

COOK’s proactive culture meant colleagues were often willing to act quickly and implement new ideas. The programme helped Vic consider what needed to happen around that implementation: identifying early adopters, engaging stakeholders, communicating the reasons for change and bringing the wider team through the process.

This connected naturally with the continuous improvement content that followed.

Rather than leadership and improvement being treated as separate disciplines, Vic could see how the different elements of the programme supported one another. Knowledge introduced during the early modules continued to be relevant as she progressed into quality, process improvement and her end-point assessment.

Her open cohort also included learners from AB World Foods, Barfoots and KMF Group, representing different sectors, roles and levels of leadership. This gave Vic the opportunity to compare approaches, hear different interpretations of the content and visit other manufacturing environments.

“It was a good platform to share insight from our own businesses but also to listen and learn from other people. Everyone brought a slightly different role and perspective, which helped us think about how the learning could be interpreted in our own workplaces.”

One of Vic’s clearest reflections was that COOK had always been good at taking action. That energy remained a strength, but the programme showed how a little more structure could make action more effective.

The business was already using elements of root-cause analysis and problem-solving, and CQM Training & Consultancy have been involved separately in some of that activity too with focussed lean programmes.

What it did not always have was a consistent method, the supporting templates or someone with the training to lead an improvement project from its initial definition through to implementation and control.

“We were very good at getting on and doing things. We had started using root-cause analysis, but we did not necessarily have the templates or trained expertise to execute it consistently. We had never routinely taken a full proposal from the project charter all the way through.”

Through the programme, Vic developed a more systematic approach to defining problems, gathering evidence and selecting the right tools. Techniques such as process mapping, Five Whys and fishbone analysis became part of a broader improvement method rather than isolated exercises.

This helped her resist the temptation to move immediately towards an assumed solution.

Instead, she could step back, clarify the problem, understand the customer requirement, examine where variation was entering the process and evaluate potential interventions against evidence. That change in approach became central to her workplace project.

Because Vic’s role covers such a broad area, there was no shortage of possible improvement projects. She chose to focus on quality and, more specifically, reducing customer complaints per million units.

Complaint data showed that tough protein was the most significant quality category, with tough chicken alone responsible for approximately 30% of customer quality complaints. The COOK Classics site represented around 80% of the complaints within the project’s scope, meaning improvement there offered the greatest opportunity for impact.

The project’s overall aim was to reduce complaints below COOK’s target of 50 complaints per million units, while also improving consistency in internal quality assessments and reducing variation in the production process.

Vic began with the Voice of the Customer.

By analysing complaint data and completing a Kano analysis, she was able to distinguish between the factors customers simply expected and those that could create additional satisfaction.

Tender protein and consistency were clear customer “must-haves”. When these basic expectations were not met, the issue could not be offset by other qualities of the meal.

“The project started with the voice of the customer. Tender protein and consistency are fundamental expectations, so I wanted to understand where variation was entering the process and what we could control before looking at bigger solutions.”

The initial subject was potentially vast. Chicken quality could be affected by raw material specifications, suppliers, equipment, handling methods and several different stages of production.

Using process mapping, Vic narrowed the scope to the areas COOK could directly investigate and influence, covering the process from raw material intake through cooking and post-cook activity.

The investigation identified a lack of standardisation between chicken batches.

Starting weights varied, as did oven temperatures and cycle times. Recipes using higher starting weights were more likely to require additional cooking after the standard cycle, indicating that trays could be overloaded and therefore not reaching the required conditions consistently.

Rather than jumping immediately to a change of supplier or a new piece of equipment, Vic focused first on stabilising the process already in place.

The selected solution was to standardise how the chicken was racked and loaded before cooking, reducing variation and the need for additional “cook-on” time after the normal cycle.

The intervention was practical, could be introduced using existing equipment and staffing levels and did not require major capital investment. It was also acceptable to both production and quality colleagues, helping the change to be introduced without significantly disrupting output.

Early results showed a decline in chicken-related complaints. Although the revised process had only been operating for a relatively short period at the time of the interview, it gave COOK a stronger foundation from which to investigate the factors that remained.

The business could then consider questions around supplier contracts, raw material specifications and the potential introduction of a chicken tumbler with a clearer understanding of its existing process.

“It would have been easy to start with new equipment or look immediately at suppliers. The project helped us fix and standardise our own process first. We can now make better-informed decisions about what needs to happen next.”

The project did not remove capital investment from consideration. It helped COOK establish the right sequence: understand and control the current process, identify the remaining causes of variation and then determine where further investment could add genuine value.

That discipline can protect product quality, but it can also prevent businesses from committing money to a solution before the underlying problem is properly understood.

The time commitment associated with training and development is a common concern for operational leaders and their employers. For Vic, that challenge was very real.

Her role could not be paused for a regular study day. Production still had to run, orders still had to be fulfilled and standards across quality, food safety and health and safety still had to be maintained.

Rather than expecting a perfect weekly pattern, Vic and her line manager, Alan Martin, adopted a more flexible approach. There were weeks when operational pressures meant she completed fewer formal learning hours. At other stages, she protected several consecutive days to concentrate on the programme and complete important pieces of work.

Short weekly conversations kept her manager informed, while much of the learning itself could be developed through projects and activities already taking place in the workplace.

“We were not always in a position where I could have the same release time every week, but we found a way to make it work. One week might be difficult, while another time I could protect two or three days and really focus. A lot of the learning was also happening through the job.”

This flexibility was supported by CQM Development Coach, Alan Clark.

Vic described the learning environment he created as safe, inclusive and collaborative. Learners could challenge ideas, contribute their own experiences and work through subjects at an appropriate pace. Alan was also available outside the formal sessions when additional guidance was needed.

“Alan created an environment where we felt able to learn together and challenge one another. He recognised that everyone had different strengths and made sure the whole group was brought along. When we needed additional time with him outside the sessions, that support was always there.”

The combination of relevant workplace learning, flexible employer support and access to her Development Coach enabled Vic to complete the programme successfully, achieving a Distinction in May 2026.

The reduction in chicken complaints is an important outcome, but the longer-term value for COOK extends beyond a single quality project.

Vic is already applying the programme’s methods to further areas of the operation.

These include food-safety improvements following Environmental Health Officer visits, replacing production trolleys, reducing cardboard within kitchen environments and improving the flow of materials and people.

She is also leading work around equipment utilisation. Some COOK recipes were developed when the kitchens and available equipment looked very different. The project is examining whether current recipes make full use of the capacity and capability now available.

“We have quite a few continuous improvement projects under way. I am using the tools and techniques from the programme to lead those through the kitchen rather than treating the apprenticeship project as a one-off exercise.”

The learning is also beginning to multiply through others.

A continuous improvement specialist reporting into Vic is currently completing further training with CQM, and benefiting from the support and mentorship from Vic too. As Vic understands the tools, methods and learning process herself, she is well placed to support that colleague, discuss projects during one-to-ones and help remove obstacles.

COOK has therefore gained more than a completed apprenticeship or one successful project.

It now has an experienced operational leader who can connect quality, customer expectations, process performance, people leadership and change. Vic can help select appropriate tools, sponsor improvement activity and support others who are developing specialist CI capability.

This gives the business a stronger platform from which to make continuous improvement more structured, consistent and sustainable.

“The biggest benefit for COOK is the continuous improvement knowledge that has been brought into the business. We now have an opportunity to use those tools and techniques to drive the wider internal CI agenda.”

For Vic, the programme has strengthened capabilities she was already developing while opening new possibilities for the future.

Her background and passion remain firmly rooted in food, making a specialist quality route one potential next step. At the same time, the programme’s breadth across leadership, change, safety and continuous improvement has also increased her confidence in considering a future General Manager position.

“The programme has widened my horizons. I could potentially move further into quality as a subject-matter expert, but it would also support me towards a General Manager role. It has created more options, which is a good problem to have.”

That breadth captures the value of the Process Leader apprenticeship.

It is not designed solely for people with “continuous improvement” or “leader/manager” in their job title. Its relevance comes from the way leadership, operational performance, quality and change intersect in real workplaces.

Vic’s cohort included people from different industries, professional backgrounds and stages of their careers, yet each could apply the content to their own role.

Her advice to others considering the programme is therefore straightforward:

“Definitely do it. Do not read the content and assume parts of it will not be relevant to you. There are tools and ideas throughout the programme that you can take back and use in the workplace immediately. It is not detached from your role – it is live learning that supports the work you are already doing.”

For COOK, that learning has already supported a more structured approach to one of its most important quality challenges.

Its greater value, however, may lie in what happens next: a well-rounded leader with the methods, confidence and organisational understanding to help quality and continuous improvement become an increasingly embedded part of how the business grows.

Would you like to find out more about our Process Leader Level 4 Programme?