02 April 2026

Chef of the decade

4 minute read

Last month, Macauley Hayes became the Head Chef at Lavender Hills Care Home following the departure of Andy Morris. This month, Macauley is celebrating his tenth anniversary at the home. It’s been the perfect way to celebrate a decade at Millennium.

“I started in 2016 as a Kitchen Assistant. I’d just left a retail job on a zero-hours contract. I had a friend who worked here, and I asked him to put in a good word for me.

“For the first few years here, the standards were basic; it was a lot of frozen food. The Head Chef didn’t have a lot of kitchen experience. But around 2020, peak Covid, they employed Andy. He had 20 years of Head Chef experience, had run his own businesses, and once he came, everything changed – for the home and for me!

“The level went above and beyond what I could ever expect. The first year working under Andy, I got to know him and how he worked. After 18-months of working under Andy, he made me the official Sou Chef.

“Andy stepped down as he had an opportunity somewhere else, and I’ve stepped into his shoes.”

Macauley Hayes, Head Chef at Lavender Hills

Kala Morton, Home Manager at Lavender Hills, and the rest of the team would have been right to be saddened by Andy’s resignation, but she was delighted to see Macauley embrace the opportunity.

“When the position came up, Macauley applied, and we were delighted to offer him the position. We think he’s going to thrive in this role.

“This month he will have been here for ten years, and it has been amazing to see him grow as a person, in his confidence, in his skills and in his ambition, and he’s got some cracking ideas for our kitchen!”

Kala Morton, Home Manager at Lavender Hills

And Macauley left with not only Andy’s blessing, but someone the home’s former Head Chef was most proud of.

“The Kitchen is in safe hands. Macauley is an excellent Chef and, from my time at Lavender Hills, he is the part of my role that I am most proud of. I’m confident that the same high standards will continue.”

Andy Morris, Former Head Chef at Lavender Hills

We’re looking forward to seeing how the Kitchen Team at Lavender Hills develops in the weeks and months ahead, and we’re sure the residents are in for a treat.

Learn about the home here.