Aria Care is celebrating a huge achievement in care catering, with two of its leading hospitality professionals recognised at the prestigious National Association of Care Catering (NACC) Awards 2025.
- Janos Csavas, Head Chef at Oaken Holt Estate, has been awarded the Bev Puxley Award, recognising outstanding contribution to care catering.
- Paul Wright, Group Hospitality Manager at Aria Care, has been named Catering Manager of the Year for his exceptional leadership and innovation across the group’s portfolio of homes.
Both awards are among the highest accolades in the care catering sector, celebrating individuals who go above and beyond to enhance resident wellbeing, empower teams, and drive meaningful improvements in care hospitality.
The dual wins at this year’s NACC Awards reflect Aria Care’s continued investment in hospitality as a cornerstone of quality care, and indicate the growing culture of excellence.
“We are immensely proud of both Janos and Paul,” said James Clear, Hospitality Director. “Their passion, innovation and leadership are transforming what hospitality in care can and should be. These awards are testament to their commitment, and to the meaningful difference they make in the lives of our residents.”
Bev Puxley Award: Janos Csavas, Head Chef, Oaken Holt Estate
With over six years’ experience in care catering, Janos has dedicated his career to transforming mealtimes into meaningful moments for residents, particularly those living with dementia.
His award-winning work includes:
- Texture-modified meals that preserve dignity and flavour for those with swallowing difficulties.
- Nostalgia-driven menus designed to stimulate memory and emotional connection.
- Person-centred mealtimes, developed in collaboration with care teams to reflect residents’ individual preferences and cultural backgrounds.
Janos has also led staff training on dementia nutrition, improving both clinical outcomes and resident engagement. His efforts have resulted in improved nutritional intake, reduced food waste, and enhanced mealtime enjoyment.
Catering Manager of the Year: Paul Wright, Group Hospitality Manager
Paul’s leadership has redefined excellence in care sector hospitality. With a background in hotels, restaurants and long-term culinary development roles at Unilever Foodsolutions, Paul brings deep expertise, vision and compassion to his Group Hospitality Manager role at Aria Care.
His achievements include:
- Implementing CaterCloud technology in partnership with EF-group to optimise allergen management, reduce waste, and enhance compliance.
- Unifying catering and housekeeping into a single ‘whole-home’ hospitality approach to streamline operations and elevate resident experience.
- Mentoring chefs and care teams, delivering training programmes on mealtime experience, nutrition, and hydration.
Among Paul’s most impactful innovations:
- Aqua Burst: A sugar-free, vitamin-rich sweet supporting hydration in dementia care, now demonstrating measurable health outcomes.
- Food is Medicine: A chef-led course training care teams to use nutrition to actively improve resident health—reducing falls, boosting immunity, and enhancing wellbeing.
- Wise Up on Waste: A hands-on course empowering teams to reduce food waste while increasing flavour and nutritional value.
Paul mentors chefs across the business and has developed career pathways in partnership with schools and colleges. He is currently leading the creation of the Aria Cookbook, celebrating resident stories and favourite recipes.
