Recognising Serco’s food safety excellence across defence, maritime and corrections

Overseas

Serco’s MELABS (Middle East Logistics and Base Services) team has been delivering up to 5,000 meals a day, for up to 1,500 people, for the Australian Defence Force (ADF) since 2011, with a zero major food safety incident track record for the past 14 years. Proudly ISO 9001, ISO 22000 and HACCP certified, the MELABS catering team supporting the ADF is headed up by highly experienced culinary experts, including Thambi Thiagarajan (Hospitality Manager) and Prince Pullapalli (Assistant Hospitality Manager). On World Food Safety Day, we thank in a special way this decorated team, who frequently receive truly impressive feedback from senior ADF leaders, for the quality, safety and operational excellence they bring to their roles, feeding those who defend our regional security, sovereignty and partnerships.

At Sea

On an 11-week voyage to Antarctica, Serco’s passionate, seasoned culinary team (pun intended) delivers over 30,000 meals to feed a full complement of around 150 expeditioners and crew. In the face of the harshest conditions on Earth, the galley operates almost constantly, supplying breakfast, morning tea, lunch and dinner, and adding a midnight meal during periods where expeditioners and the Serco crew are delivering 24-hour operations. The quality and variety of the fare on offer is consistently a mentioned highlight, from freshly baked rolls, soups, and hot savories to succulent meat and veg dinners, and even the occasional BBQ. A big thank you to Chief Cooks Lorana Keremeta and Timothy Scott for the ongoing quality and care demonstrated in their work, keeping the Australian Antarctic Division’s team and Serco crew well-fed while at sea.

In Complex Environments

Bijay Kumar, who has been a chef for 45 years, ensures 720 people in Serco’s care at Aotearoa New Zealand’s third-largest correctional facility are fed throughout the day. Led by Pradeep Nair, as Chef Vocational Education Trainer, Bijay works alongside David Brown, Dalwyn Nahona, Nikunj Mistry, Kunal Roy, Ravikesh Ram and Godfrey Clayton. One of the most rewarding aspects of his role is now getting to turn his decades of experience delivering high quality meals at scale into education in culinary best practice, equipping the men in Serco’s care with real-world food safety and food handling skills, from knife skills to food temperature controls. On World Food Safety Day 2026, we recognise Bijay, the kitchen team and all Serco’s culinary experts in corrections who ensure meal times are safe, offering belonging and real nourishment. Collectively, they deliver an average of over 10,000 meals to staff and those in our care, every single day.

A very happy World Food Safety Day to all in the hospitality industry.

Whether overseas, at sea, in complex environments, or working in a culmination of all three, Serco is proud to be a trusted provider of hospitality, catering and FM services.