We Are Entegra: Edwin Den Ridder

Meet Edwin Den Ridder, Account Manager in the Netherlands. Having been part of the Sodexo family for 32 years, and winning Best Restaurant Netherlands in 2000, he brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to his clients.

Could you give us a brief introduction to your role within Entegra? How long have you been with Entegra for?

Yes, my role is account manager in the Netherlands. I started with Entegra in November 2020.

 

We know you have a wealth of experience in hospitality, could you tell us a bit about that?

Yes, I joined Sodexo in 1990. So, I have been working there now for 32 years. I started there as a Chef. I continually grew from there year on year to different roles like a district manager, client relationship manager, account manager and key accountmanager also. In 2020, I was responsible for the last few universities in the Netherlands,

At that moment, COVID was coming and Sodexo decided to withdraw the initiative I was working on temporarily until the market was more stable.

It was at this time I transitioned from Sodexo to Entegra, as we were continuing to grow in the Netherlands. This was a big and exciting challenge.

 

Amazing, you mentioned you joined Sodexo 32 years ago as a chef, what brought you there? Did you have a chef background prior to that?

Yes, I had to study to become a Chef and I was working in different sectors, in restaurants but also in the senior segment. Sodexo not only was a great step for my career, i was also able to further develop myself within such a great organization and I got a great opportunity for this

It also gave me more stability in terms of working hours, which was better for me and my family at that moment.

 

Can you tell us more about your journey as a Chef? 

I was enjoying cooking more and more, when I became a Chef, I got the opportunity to become a catering manager, responsible for different large restaurants. From there. I entered a competition for all the restaurants in the Netherlands, and my team won, making us the best restaurant in the Netherlands year 2000. I was very proud of the team of what we achieved. A few weeks later we got a visit from the director offering me the role of district manager. This was a turning point in my career, moving from a Chef to catering manager, and then a chance to be district manager. It was a learning curve, moving from operations to management. In 2000, I started in Sodexo as district manager.

 

What did you love most about your role in Sodexo and then Entegra?

They are very different, with Sodexo, my last responsibility was within the universities. I enjoyed working closely with people, our colleagues, the teams and the employees of the university. Like a spider web. I was responsible for looking after the clients, HR, financials, and all things operation based what happens on the floor.

In Entegra, it was a big change, I now had no responsibility for people, and had to get used to not being on the floor working in a big team. I missed the people operations part and missed the dynamism. After 6 months in the role, I got used to my new environment, and get a lot of satisfaction from my clients. On a daily basis I come into contact with a variety of people, from general managers, owner’s directors to one and 2 star chefs, and I enjoy.

Throughout my 32 years of working, my aim has always been to demonstrate our added value to our clients, in Sodexo and now in Entegra.

 

You mentioned working closely with your clients, do you have some highlights to share?

Yes indeed, I work with diverse clients in the Netherlands, including Michelin star restaurants, one of these has a very famous chef, with naturally high standards, which come with specific and meticulous requirements when it comes to his suppliers. For this client, I am in regular times contact with the suppliers to ensure everything operates smoothly. Feedback from them has been positive, and they appreciate our ways of working.

It is important to understand the client’s needs, and what they expect from us, this way we can really add value to the operations. I am the account manager, but for me, my role doesn’t end there, I oversee the operations and work as a holistic team with my clients and the rest of my team.

When I first become acquainted with a business, I tell the story of our roots in Sodexo, about Entegra, who we are, what are values are, and also about myself, my background and experience. This usually leads to a very good conversation between us, and more often than not, they then decide to become clients. Getting to know a client from the beginning and going on to help them grow, that for me gives me the most job satisfaction.

 

You offer a personal touch in your approach, what do you think makes your service so successful?

I think it is about knowing your client inside and out, placing yourself in the shoes of the client, knowing their failures, what they value as most important for the business, what areas they need the most help in, where the priorities lie.

That's the starting point of a real partnership and a real personal attachment to a client, it is not only about the professional part for me, more importantly it is human beings having a connection, and then you can work together as a real partner.

I have been working for this company for 32 years, and I honestly believe they do great things. I am thankful to be in this role, and to have developed into the man I am today through evolving with Sodexo, into Entegra. I started as a chef, now I am an account manager, helping Clients across the Netherlands.

 

Do you have a favourite dish from your time as a chef?

Good question, I have indeed! It was from when I was a chef at a restaurant in the Netherlands, a dish called Tjakkie Tjakkie I named it myself! It has Indonesian roots, a mix of herbs, chicken, and rice. I slightly deviated from the menu at the time, put my creative spin on an existing dish, and the customers loved it! As it was a special on the menu, it came around once a month, and each time, the restaurant was full of people waiting for that dish!

 

To connect with Edwin, you can reach him at edwin.denridder@entegraps.eu.