Foodservice professionals are being invited to join a new LGBTQIA+ allies forum designed to build connections, share practical support and improve inclusion across the industry. The free, community-led initiative is asking people, employers and organisations to help shape its priorities, from workplace resources to future events and meaningful allyship.

Essential Takeaways

  • A new network: The Foodservice LGBTQIA+ and Allies Forum brings together LGBTQIA+ people, allies, employers and organisations.
  • Three priorities: Its early focus is on connecting people, offering support and championing visibility.
  • Open consultation: A questionnaire will help shape the Forum's first-year programme and longer-term plans.
  • Free to join: Participation is open to people with a genuine connection to foodservice.
  • Industry backing: The Foodservice Equipment Association and Catering Equipment Distributors Association support the initiative.

A new forum aims to make foodservice more welcoming

Foodservice can be fast-moving, sociable and full of opportunity, but the working experience isn't the same for everyone. The new Foodservice LGBTQIA+ and Allies Forum is intended to create a more welcoming place for LGBTQIA+ people to meet, exchange experiences and build careers.

The initiative is independent and community-led, giving it room to listen before setting a fixed agenda. That matters because inclusion is rarely solved by a single policy or annual event. It often comes down to whether people feel comfortable speaking up, finding support and being themselves during an ordinary working day.

The launch has been reported across specialist foodservice and hospitality publications, including Catering Insight, Foodservice Equipment Journal and The Caterer. Together, those reports underline the Forum's relevance across the wider industry, not just in restaurants and bars.

Connection, support and visibility sit at the centre

The Forum's initial programme is built around three straightforward commitments. The first is connection, with welcoming opportunities for people to meet, share experiences and develop professional relationships across foodservice.

Support is the second strand. The Forum plans to act as an initial point of contact, offering practical resources and signposting for individuals, allies and employers. For someone unsure where to turn, even a clear route to reliable advice can make a real difference.

The third is championing LGBTQIA+ visibility and useful allyship. That means celebrating progress, sharing learning and helping employers move beyond well-meaning statements towards everyday action. Guidance on LGBTQ+ advocacy in foodservice and hospitality has similarly emphasised the value of visible, informed support rather than occasional gestures.

The industry is being asked to help set the agenda

Rather than deciding its priorities behind closed doors, the Forum is inviting the foodservice community to complete a questionnaire. LGBTQIA+ people, allies, employers and relevant organisations can share which issues deserve attention and how they'd like to participate.

Respondents can also register interest in future events, volunteering, collaboration or wider support. It's a practical approach, and a sensible one: the people who understand workplace barriers best should have a meaningful role in deciding what happens next.

The questionnaire is available through the Forum's website, fs-lgbtqia.org. Its responses are expected to inform both the first-year programme and the initiative's longer-term development.

What employers and allies can do now

Employers don't need to wait for a formal programme before improving inclusion. Reviewing workplace language, checking whether policies are understood and making support routes visible are useful starting points. Training managers to respond calmly and respectfully can also help turn good intentions into consistent practice.

Allies have a role too, but it should be active rather than performative. Listening, challenging casual prejudice and supporting colleagues' participation are small steps that can change the atmosphere of a workplace. Nobody needs a perfect script, although a little preparation is certainly better than awkward silence.

For smaller businesses, shared resources and industry networks could be especially valuable. A forum that gathers practical guidance in one place may help teams with limited human-resources support handle sensitive issues more confidently.

Backing gives the initiative a stronger platform

The Foodservice Equipment Association and the Catering Equipment Distributors Association are supporting the Forum. Their backing gives the project useful visibility across the equipment and distribution sides of foodservice, where inclusion conversations can reach employers, suppliers and professional networks alike.

Founding Chair Radford Chancellor said the initiative grew from a desire for people to feel safe, supported and confident about being themselves at work. That personal motivation gives the Forum a human centre, while the open consultation gives it a chance to become genuinely useful rather than simply symbolic.

The founding board is due to introduce the Forum and welcome conversations at the FEA Industry Conference on 19 November 2026 at Staverton Park Hotel and Golf Club in Daventry. For an industry built around people, creating more room for people to belong feels like a worthwhile next step.

A stronger foodservice culture starts with listening, then acting on what people say.

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