Why Janet Yeboah is in the running for Winterhalter KP of the Year

At The Psalter in Sheffield, Janet Yeboah has become the sort of person every kitchen quickly realises it cannot do without.

Chef and owner Tom Lawson says that when she is not there, the difference is obvious straight away.

Nominated by Tom for The Staff Canteen's Winterhalter KP of the Year, Janet is trusted to run a demanding section, help the wider brigade and bring a steady, positive presence to the operation every day.

Why Tom nominated her

“Because she’s great,” Tom says.

“She’s really hardworking and always smiling, which brings the team up.”

That positivity is clearly a big part of what makes Janet stand out, but Tom is equally clear that the nomination is about much more than her personality.

Janet was The Psalter’s first full-time KP after opening, and he sees the role as central to how the kitchen functions.

“It’s such an integral role that supports the rest of the kitchen team as well,” he says.

“So it’s not just coming in and washing pots, it’s the cleanliness of the kitchen, making sure that everything’s done timely, looking after part of the exterior of the building and helping on bits of prep and things like that as well.”

Janet is not being celebrated simply for turning up and doing the basics well. She is being recognised because she makes the whole kitchen work better.

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A big job in a serious kitchen

Janet is doing this in a busy, standards-driven environment. For his latest venture, experienced chef Tom Lawson has taken over The Psalter, the boutique hotel restaurant in Sheffield, where Michelin highlights the welcoming room, the colourful interior and a seasonal menu built around quality produce.

Janet largely handles the KP section on her own, with only weekend support from a part-time KP. When functions are on, Tom says The Psalter can be doing upwards of 150 covers.

“It’s a big task for one person,” he says.

What makes Janet stand out

Tom Lawson has spent enough time in kitchens to know that attitude often makes the difference between someone who does the shift and someone who genuinely lifts the team around them.

For him, that is where Janet stands out.

“I think it’s just having that attitude towards work, like nothing’s too much,” he says. “Always smiling, like I say, and it doesn’t matter whether it’s 11 o’clock at night or first thing in the morning.”

That, he adds, never really changes.

“That stays the same all the way through. Always happy to be here.”

In a role that is physical, repetitive and often demanding, that sort of consistency is key. Plenty of people can keep their spirits up at the start of a day. Far fewer do it through the pressure of service and the tail end of a long shift. Tom’s point is that Janet does exactly that.

From Ghana to Sheffield

Janet was born in Ghana and has now been in England for around three years. Before moving to Sheffield, she was in Basingstoke with her auntie. She also built-up kitchen experience before joining The Psalter, including work at the University of Sheffield and later at Owlerton sports stadium.

Asked about her background, Janet says: “I’ve been here for three years. Before I was in Basingstoke with my auntie and I move here in Sheffield.”

What Janet enjoys about the job

When Janet talks about what she likes about being a KP, her answer is simple and revealing.

“I just love to be around great people making food and always nice towards me,” she says.

“I’m also giving my best to that team.”

That line says a lot about how she sees the role. She does not talk about it as a job on the edge of the kitchen. She talks about being part of a team, giving her best to it and enjoying the people around her.

That sense of mutual respect comes through strongly in the interview. Tom clearly values what she brings, and Janet clearly appreciates the environment she is working in. In hospitality, that usually shows in the way somebody approaches the job.

More than washing up

Janet is not the kind of KP who finishes the washing up and then waits to be told what to do next.

Tom says she has taken on more responsibility as her time at The Psalter has gone on. That includes helping with prep, including croustades, as well as peeling potatoes and watching how the fish is prepared so she can keep learning.

“Janet’s not the kind of person that will stand there doing nothing,” he says. “She will always be working and always be doing something.”

He goes on to explain that if there is nothing urgent on the KP section, she looks for other ways to help.

“It’s helping peel potatoes or looking and learning how to prep the fish, looking at upskilling herself without being asked as well, which is really nice.”

Tom sees that as unusual.

“I think that’s rare in people, to be able to see that and drive to do more all the time.”

Why recognition matters

Tom is especially strong when he talks about why awards like this matter for KPs.

“I think it’s super important,” he says.

“They’re the unsung heroes of the kitchen.

“People at the top get the praise and the people at the bottom of the engine room, they’re the ones that keep the kitchen working.

“When Janet’s not here, we really, really struggle and we really notice the difference. The hard work she puts in is very much appreciated.

“I think if Janet was to go on to win it, it would just be a massive boost to everybody’s confidence, particularly Janet’s.

“It’s an integral role. People take it for granted. And I think having awards like this is what makes it worthwhile as well.

“The people that get nominated are people that do this as a career and enjoy it.

“And we’re creating an environment and a culture where everybody is celebrated, not just the people at the top, everybody in our business, no matter which job they do.

“I hope that shines through in the attitude that we get from our team.”

The ice tray story

An image was shared recently on social media of Janet carrying a tray on her head.

“I went downstairs supposed to bring two trays of ice, so I decided to put one on my head,” Janet explains.

“Because that’s what we normally do in Africa. We don’t normally hold things, we just put it on our head, and then we can carry some in our hands too.”

But Tom does not feel ready to give it a go any time soon.

“No, I’m not trying! Maybe we will teach the whole team, because we all make two trips, right?

“Two trays of ice is two trips, but for Janet it is one trip. And it’s down a flight of stairs and through like three doors.

“It wasn’t just balancing on her head and that was it. It was a full-on journey!”

Why Janet is a strong nominee

What makes Janet Yeboah such a convincing contender for Winterhalter KP of the Year is the full picture.

She works in a busy Michelin Guide-listed restaurant where the KP role carries real weight. She largely handles that section on her own, stays positive under pressure, helps beyond washing up, looks to learn more and brings an attitude that Tom says does not really change, no matter the time of day.

Most of all, she sounds like someone whose contribution is felt every single shift.

Asked how she would feel about winning the award, Janet says: “Very happy and I’ll be very grateful to my boss also for putting me there.”

At The Psalter, that makes her exactly the sort of person this series should be celebrating.