About Us
C.D.I.S. was founded in 1992 by Mr D Clarke to handle the increased level of design requests received by Catering and Plumbing Services Ltd who specialised in the installation of commercial kitchens and catering facilities. This company had been formed in 1982 as a partnership with Mr D Clarke as the senior partner and was changed to a limited company in 1992.
In 1995 C.D.I.S. received an approach to work as catering designers with the project managers John Rowland Associates on The Bluebird Store in the Kings Road for Conran Restaurants and the venture was handled by the two companies trading together as the Catering Design Partnership. This arrangement was maintained for the Zinc Bar and Grill as well as the Orrery Restaurant, however in 1997 this arrangement was dissolved by mutual consent. As a result of this action it was decided to run Catering and Plumbing Services down so that Mr C Clarke could join C.D.I.S. to enable them to handle the increased work load, Catering and Plumbing Services only now exist to trial design solutions prepared by CDIS-KARM.
As a practice CDIS-KARM pride themselves on the ability to take two conflicting sets of circumstances and produce a solution that is both acceptable to the construction team and the caterers. While Mr D Clarke came to the catering industry in 1976 from an engineering, and marketing background specialising in retail development, Mr C Clarke has been trained in all engineering disciplines that affect the catering industry and has spent his whole working life specialising in catering engineering. He is trained and certificated to City and Guilds standards in both mechanical and electrical engineering. Mrs Janette Hewitt-Allard has worked for C.D.I.S. since 1992 and was fully trained as an operational caterer before changing direction and taking up a position on the design side of the business.
To further develop the service being offered to the caterer C.D.I.S. joined forces with K.A.R.M. in January 2003. Mr K Burnett of K.A.R.M. has worked in the catering design and supply industry since 1989 and has worked for Gardner Merchant, Winterhalter, Lockhart’s and Compass and has worked with both Mr D Clarke and Mr C Clarke since he accepted his first management position within the industry in 1990.
We have gained vast experience over the last ten years designing and project managing facilities for caterers, ranging from fast food takeaways to commercial canteens and Michelin star restaurants. We feel sure that should we be given the opportunity of working with your company, we will produce a facility that will be well received and appreciated by all concerned.