Kirsty Rafferty, a barista at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, has won the Unsung Hero award at 2025’s Public Sector Catering Awards.
Rafferty works for Sodexo UK & Ireland, which has been providing catering and hospitality services at the Scottish Parliament since 1999.
She first joined Sodexo in 2004 as barista in the Garden Level Coffee bar at the Scottish Parliament, a position she still holds today, where as a popular member of the team, her regular customers refer to the café as ‘Kirsty’s coffee bar’.
On winning the award Kirsty said: “It was a humbling experience to be up against peers from the foodservice industry from across the UK and to hear my name announced as the winner. Thank you to everyone who has supported me over the years.”
Over the last twenty years Kirsty has received praise for her hard work and dedication, receiving no less than 11 motions from MSPs in recognition of her efforts, the latest in December 2024 recognising her 20 years’ service and commending her for her ‘personal approach, outstanding customer service and attention to detail’.
Paul Anstey, CEO, Government, Sodexo UK & Ireland, said: “We are immensely proud of Kirsty, she is a valued member of our team at the Scottish Parliament.
“Kirsty’s ability to remember her regular customers drink preference, to devise creative seasonal promotions and showcase local suppliers is second-to-none.
“We are incredibly lucky to have Kirsty as part of team. Congratulations Kirsty this is an amazing achievement and well-deserved.”
Kirsty is a key member of a 35-strong Sodexo team delivering catering services across The Scottish Parliament’s six catering outlets, serving the 800 people based there plus up to 800 visitors every day.
The team also caters for up to 500 hospitality events each year, ranging from small internal meetings to functions for hundreds of guests
