Street Food Business Expo: NCASS Speakers

The Street Food Business Expo is one of the UK’s leading trade shows for street food operators, mobile caterers and independent hospitality businesses.

Taking place at ExCeL London on the 29th & 30th of September, it brings together thousands of industry professionals for two days of networking, expert talks and the latest innovations in the sector.

NCASS will be exhibiting and hosting a panel session, read the programme schedule here, making it a great opportunity to connect, learn and stay ahead in a fast-moving industry.

For more information, get in touch with our Industry Engagement Manager, Sarah Loutfi.

Check out our excellent panel of speakers for this year’s expo:

Vanessa Anderson – Indi Local

Vanessa Anderson is the Founder of Indi Local, a street food discovery app dedicated to championing independent local street food, giving vendors and local event organisers the digital tools needed to get found and pre-orders lined up before service commences.

As a voice for small-scale street food, Vanessa takes a “boots on the ground” approach to building a community, leveraging digital storytelling to elevate the awareness and accessibility of street food whilst staying firmly committed to the “support local” movement.

Vanessa offers unique insights into how authentic branding coupled with a social-first marketing strategy allows independent talent to compete with the giants and win lasting customer loyalty in a growing and competitive market.

Ben Newman – Spudman

Ben Newman, aka Spudman, has been selling jacket potatoes in Tamworth since 2003 and has been an NCASS member from day 1 of business. Alongside Tamworth, he has also catered at numerous festivals and events over the years all around the country.

He is passionate about fellow small food businesses, especially the little potato sellers and when at events, loves sampling food that is on offer.

When not selling spuds or styling the pink mohican, he can be found at home spending time with his wife and their nine children or on dialysis whilst watching food programmes!

Vimal Arumugam – Baked Bird

Vimal has a background in corporate banking IT services, having worked in the City and internationally for many years before trading his career for the passion and commitment required to build Baked Bird.

Baked Bird grew from a family love of chicken wings and time spent travelling across East Asia, where different flavours and cooking methods inspired the baked-not-fried approach. In November 2019, he took the leap and bought a converted horsebox, starting out with DIY kits and bottled sauces delivered to local customers.

From their first market in Shoreditch, Baked Bird quickly gathered momentum. They have since sold over 50 tonnes of chicken and served at more than 100 events, from music festivals to weddings and high-profile events across Europe.

In under 4 years, Baked Bird has grown to three food trucks, secured a residency at Boxhall City, and opened permanent sites including a flagship store on Goodge Street and a unit at ExCeL London. What started as a side project has become a growing QSR business, built steadily from the ground up and focused on doing chicken differently.

Dani Page – Beef on the Block

Dani is the founder and owner of the one of the UK’s biggest street food businesses. Specialising in steak and chips, BEEF ON THE BLOCK are an award winning company based in the Midlands and also have a permanent kitchen at Boxhall City on Liverpool Street in London.

Cassie Davison

Cassie Davison is the author of Stand Out Hospitality: How to Have a Business You Love That Loves You Back, named a finalist in the Business Book Awards 2026. Written from more than 30 years in hospitality and over 25 years as an independent owner-operator, the book explores what it really takes to build a business people choose, return to and care about.

Having built and run award-winning pubs, bars, cafés, restaurants and festival concepts, Cassie understands the constant decisions, rising expectations, team challenges and commercial reality operators face every day. Her perspective cuts through the noise and focuses on what really matters: building loyalty, making clearer decisions and understanding who you are, who you serve and why people choose you.

James Timmins – Utter Waffle

Co-founder and owner of Utter Waffle, an award-winning London-based street food and restaurant business specialising in innovative savoury and sweet waffles. With his background as a trained chef and after completing a degree in business and finance he helped grow the brand into a thriving business with 2 restaurants, event catering services, and multiple food trucks. James drives forward the events and restaurants growth, marketing, and business development.

Jules Jefferis – Utter Waffle

Co-founder and owner of Utter Waffle, an award-winning London-based street food and restaurant business specialising in innovative savoury and sweet waffles. After completing a degree in hospitality & business management and a few years working at The Ivy in London, Jules has a passion for customer experience and FOH management. Jules focuses on business compliance, HR, and restaurant operations.

Rob Machin – Reimagine

A founding team member at KERB and the first employee at Bleecker, Rob has navigated the road-to-restaurant journey from both sides – understanding what the street teaches about demand and commercial reality, and what it takes to translate that into a permanent operation that lasts. At Reimagine, he works with independent operators, developers, and asset owners to close the gap between a great concept and a viable one, bringing operational experience to moments when strategy alone isn’t enough.

Danny Hawke – Danny’s Burgers

Danny Hawke is the founder of Danny’s Burgers, a Bristol-based burger business specialising in LA-style smash burgers made with high-quality ingredients. The business currently operates both a food truck and a Deliveroo kitchen, with plans to expand further in the near future.

Danny started the business six and a half years ago after previously working in youth support work and building custom barbecues and smokers as a side project, which eventually led him into the burger world.

Since launching, Danny’s Burgers has won Burger Chef of the Year and Burger of the Year at the National Burger Awards, as well as appearing on Saturday Kitchen and collaborating with some of the UK’s leading chefs and food brands.

Tom Maher – Original Patty Men

Tom is an Scottish ex pat, situated in Birmingham for the last 23 years. He studied and worked in Menswear design for 10 years before making a move into hospitality. He started trading as Original Patty Men in 2012 at the local street food market, Digbeth dining club and then transitioned into bricks and mortar 3 years later. They now have 2 locations in Birmingham along with a craft beer bar based in Digbeth.

Nick Friedman – Jamon Jamon Paella & Deluxe Dogs

Nick has been cooking on the streets of London since 2004. He says, ‘It came out of nowhere; I’m no chef and never saw myself cooking for a living’. 20 years on and he still loves the lifestyle and the people.

James Mitchell – Gurt Wings

James, aka “Uncle Gurty”, turned his passion for American-style fried chicken into a business after struggling to find quality wings in the UK. Starting in 2017 from home experiments and a gazebo, he built Gurt Wings into a multi award-winning South West street food brand known for its bold Buffalo wings, signature sauces and menu items.