Vince Kelly

Vince Kelly has built a career that spans 30 years in kitchens, education and hospitality training, and is now leading the charge on one of the most urgent issues in our industry: bridging the skills gap. )

He began his journey as a 14-year-old kitchen porter, worked his way through kitchens of all styles and standards, ran his own businesses and eventually transitioned into lecturing and training. In his current role at the Mayor’s Hospitality Skills Academy at Westminster Kingsway College, he is driving the development of the Hospitality Skills Passport — a proposed universal entry-standard for hospitality roles, designed to align colleges, employers and government in a more professional and joined-up talent pathway.

Vince also holds the role of Culinary Lead & Sustainability Director at Culinary Medicine UK, where he champions plant-forward thinking, food-waste reduction and the broader responsibilities of hospitality to people and planet.

Based in London, Vince is passionate about changing the narrative of hospitality: not just “a job,” but a career with structure, progression and impact. He works to connect educational institutions, employers and trainees — creating meaningful opportunities for people who’ve traditionally been overlooked.