Wilson Barrie doesn't have a glamorous job but he prefers it that way. As managing director of caterer Sodexho Ireland, the jocular Scot is responsible for the meal-time experience of thousands of workers at some of the Republic's most dynamic companies.

The key to good catering, he explains, is recognising that food is not necessarily the most essential factor.

He says: "Meal times should be a sort of mini-holiday; they should provide people with an opportunity to forget about work for a while. So, the emphasis must be on making the overall experience as rewarding as possible. Good food is important but will not suffice in itself."

Quality service is the overriding requirement, says Mr Barrie, who six months ago took the helm at Sodexho Ireland, which has 250 workers in 180 locations and counts companies such as AIB, Hibernian Insurance, Pfizer Pharmaceuticals and Waterford Wedgwood as clients.

He adds: "Service is the make or break ingredient. Great cooking doesn't count for much if it's served with a scowl. To this end, training places a huge emphasis on service.

"We are constantly reminding staff that they are Sodexho and that our image depends on them."

Flexibility is another watchword for the firm, a division of Sodexho International, the French catering giant that employs 35,000 across 74 countries.

Nothing changes faster than public tastes and the company is committed to keeping pace with - and even anticipating - diners' preferences.

Mr Barrie says: "We have to be quick to react. We don't want people to be reminded that they are eating at work. They should have the same experience as if they were grabbing a bite while shopping at the weekend.

"So it's very important that we are aware of trends in the market. As I said, food shouldn't be a hassle. People should be able to have what they want. Nothing is worse than settling for something you don't like. Flexibility is a top priority."

Information technology employees in a major multinational will often favour a salad bar, offering a generous range of fillings. Such an approach might, however, be inappropriate for an industry with an older worker profile.

And because tastes are in constant flux, Sodexho keeps abreast of global trends through sibling companies across Europe and in the United States. "Regional variations are becoming much less noticeable," says Mr Barrie. "A computer worker in Dublin will as likely as not have the same preferences as one in London or San Francisco."

Frontline feedback is vital, insists Mr Barrie. "If people don't like what we're serving, they'll be quick to tell us about it. That's the best way of finding out if what we are doing is a success. Market research is useful, but what you hear at the counter is most important."

Food is a particular passion for Mr Barrie, who trained as a chef before joining Sodexho in 1989.

"I think training in a kitchen gave me an appreciation of food that stayed with me when I moved to Sodexho.

"The most important thing it taught me was that no one size fits all and you can't impose your tastes on others. On top of that, you must be able to think on your feet."

While the downturn causes difficulties for other sectors, the catering industry regards it as an opportunity to forge closer links with clients. Sodexho has moved into back-up services, such as cleaning, security and site management.

Mr Barrie says: "Integrating services can increase efficiencies and save clients a great deal of hassle. Instead of having to deal with a number of different contractors, they can save time by dealing with a single one. This allows them get on with their core business."

Though Sodexho Ireland has landed some significant contracts since Mr Barrett's arrival (he declines to name them), the parent group has not fared as well.

Results issued this week show a 7 per cent fall in nine-month revenue to €9.1 billion - slightly below analyst expectations.

The company blamed the sharp appreciation of the euro compared with other currencies, saying organic growth remained healthy at 2.9 per cent.

Slower-than-expected growth means the group is likely to miss full-year profit targets. The performance of Irish operations was not broken down.

The industry has undergone a great deal of consolidation recently with Sodexho and UK group Compass emerging as two of the biggest players. There are some smaller niche operators in the Republic.

Mr Barrie believes further takeovers are unlikely in the short term. "Things have calmed down recently and I don't think Sodexho has any plans to make further acquisitions.

"The emphasis must be on improving services and enriching the experience of our clients' employees."

Sodexho was founded in 1966, developing from a small operation in Marseilles to one of the world's largest catering and support services organisation.

In 1995, it entered the Irish market when it struck an alliance with British group Gardner Merchant.

Three years ago, Gardner Merchant adopted the Sodexho name for its operations.

Gardner Merchant first traded in 1886. It provides services to schools, colleges, offices, social and sporting occasions and in hospitals.