Meet the Team

The people behind
every perfect plate

Nella is built on talent, passion, and a shared obsession with food done properly. Every event we deliver is the result of a team that genuinely cares.

Elena Marchetti — Founder & Head Chef
12 Years
of Craft
Founded 2024

Founder

Elena Marchetti

Founder & Head Chef

Elena grew up in a small village outside Bologna, where food wasn't a career — it was the language the whole family spoke. After training at the Institut Paul Bocuse in Lyon and spending five years in professional kitchens across Italy and London, she moved to Yorkshire and started Nella.

Her food is rooted in the Italian tradition of cooking what's seasonal and honest, adapted for the best of what Yorkshire and the North has to offer. She works directly with every client, writing menus from scratch rather than adapting templates.

"The table is the most generous place in any home. I just want to help people use it well."
@nella.catering Get in touch

The Team

Everyone who makes
it happen

Marco Rossi — Sous Chef
Sous Chef
Marco Rossi
Trained in Naples and Leeds, Marco handles Nella's larger events and leads the kitchen team on-site. His pasta is the stuff of legend.
Pasta Large Events Kitchen Lead
Sarah Whitfield — Pastry Chef
Pastry Chef
Sarah Whitfield
Sarah produces all of Nella's desserts, petit fours, and celebration cakes. Seven years at a Michelin-starred restaurant, now happier making people smile at private dinners.
Desserts Celebration Cakes Petit Fours
James Thornton — Events Manager
Events Manager
James Thornton
James is the person who makes sure every detail is exactly right before anyone arrives. Logistics, timelines, staffing — he's handled it all.
Logistics Weddings Corporate
Priya Sharma — Front of House Lead
Front of House Lead
Priya Sharma
Priya leads our service team with warmth and precision. A former hotel manager who believes that hospitality is about reading the room, not following a script.
Silver Service Wine Pairing Team Lead
Tom Gallagher — Chef de Partie
Chef de Partie
Tom Gallagher
Tom is Nella's grill and meat specialist. His slow-roasted lamb has closed out more dinner parties than we can count. Currently experimenting with wild-fermented hot sauces.
Meat & Grill Fermentation Canapés
Chloe Bennett — Client Relations
Client Relations
Chloe Bennett
Chloe is often the first person you'll speak to at Nella. She handles all initial enquiries, tastings, and ensures every client feels looked after from the first email.
Enquiries Tastings Planning

What Drives Us

Our values as a team

🌿
Seasonal First
Every menu starts with what's growing now. We don't import asparagus in December or strawberries in February. Seasonality isn't a trend for us — it's the only way to cook properly.
🤝
Hospitality as Care
Good service isn't a performance. We train our team to listen, to read the room, and to treat every guest the way we'd want to be treated. Warmth first, always.
✦
No Two Events Alike
We don't run the same menu twice. Every event gets a menu written from scratch. It takes more work but it's the only way we know how to do it with integrity.

Want to work
with Nella?

We're always looking for talented chefs, experienced front-of-house staff, and passionate people who believe food matters. Get in touch — we'd love to hear from you.

Send us a message