MLennon Catering
Michael Lennon
During his time training with CERT, Michael Lennon got involved in culinary competitions, achieving gold and silver medals and various certificates of merit. “As part of our training, we worked through the summer in the industry and were assessed on our progress. I worked in some of the best restaurants in Dublin and extended my knowledge ten-fold.”
Following college, he was offered a contract job in the AIB Bank Centre in Ballsbridge, which helped him understand how to cater for large numbers of clients and also how to cater for corporate dinners.
Elected head junior chef, he was responsible for managing staff, ordering produce and had to achieve certain gross profit percentages. It was during this time that Lennon knew he wanted to run his own business.
“I really wanted to travel abroad but also wanted to start a business, so in 1999 I travelled throughout Australia working in different cities, experiencing as many cultures and ethnic foods as I could.”
In 2000, Lennon returned home and worked in the Shelbourne Hotel as Chef de Partie. “I worked long, long hours and as time went on my responsibility grew. Eventually in 2001 I decided that I was going to put all my energies into starting my own business and fulfilling a lifelong dream.”
MLennon Catering was established in October 2001 after completing a Start Your Own Business course at Terenure Enterprise Centre.
In 2004 Michael heard about First Step and approached them about expanding his business.
In January 2006 Michael moved his catering business from Terenure to Tallaght into a 100 sq.ft. warehouse with a fitted kitchen. “I again contacted First Step to see if they could assist me financially with the new move. I am now a year and a half into the loan and business is good.
Turnover has doubled since we moved, so has our premises size and we have increased our van fleet to two. Slowly but surely we are expanding. I hope to increase our turnover by at least 20% over the next two years and possibly double our staff to four.
It is now recognised among the caterers in Dublin that we are a first class catering company and that we are competitive with high standards, that to me is a major achievement.”
