Meet the Michael behind Michael's

That's probably because it has been on the back of London Transit buses for the past two years promoting Great Hall Catering at Western.

"I meet people all the time who know me or think they know me and it's all because of those ads on the buses," says Coleby, Assistant Director and Executive Chef, Great Hall Catering, a division of Hospitality Services. "My wife tells me I've got a face like the back of a bus and now it's true."

Coleby has been married for 35 years to his wife Maureen and they have two grown children, Hannah, 30, who is assistant catering manager at Windermere Manor and Jamie, 34, who works in the food business in Vancouver.

All joking aside, Coleby has been a major force in the turnaround of catering operations at Western and originated the launch of Michael's and Michael's Garden, fine dining centres at the university. He credits Hospitality Services Director Frank Miller with giving him the freedom to turn the operation into a profitable one.

Now in his 17th year at Western, Coleby takes pride in the operations run by his staff of 10 full-time staff and 25 part-time employees in serving the dining needs of faculty and staff and in catering special events at the university and in the wider community.

Great Hall Catering does all the official events of President Paul Davenport at Gibbons Lodge and all university functions on campus. But it wasn't always that way.

Previous presidents often used outside catering companies for official dinners and receptions. Coleby says that when he came aboard, he found the campus catering food was good, but there were problems with the perception and confidence of people in campus catering.

When Davenport came into office, Coleby was asked to cater the official inauguration dinner and he took on the challenge, viewing it as a trial. The staff tackled the event with enthusiasm and gave it a supreme effort.

"Obviously the president was pleased and the rest is history. We now cater all the official campus functions," says Coleby. He views with pride the fact that Great Hall Catering was also chosen by the Davenports for a family wedding and other private dinners.

Great Hall Catering has grown from business of $150,000 a year a decade ago to about $1.2 million a year now.

Coleby also says that any university employee can enjoy a five per cent discount by booking Great Hall Catering for family weddings or other functions.

The other part of Michael's world, and equally successful, is the Michael's restaurant and Michael's Garden in Somerville House. They serve a buffet lunch and business is so brisk that reservations are almost always a must.

Michael's opened in September 2000 after the closing of the Faculty Club and Michael's Garden was added later to handle the overflow business. Coleby credits Vicky Bountis, Supervisor of Michael's, and staff for the huge success of the venture. "She IS Michael's," he states emphatically.

An interesting side note is that originally Coleby planned to call the restaurant Davenport's, but the president opposed the idea, feeling it would be inappropriate while he is in office. He also "said it might lose us more business than it would bring in," says Coleby. It was the catering staff who suggested it be named Michael's instead.

But Davenport makes it a point at all events catered by Great Hall Catering to bring out the staff involved and introduce them to his special guests.

"They really appreciate that recognition," says Coleby.

"We're really delighted at the way things have turned out," says Coleby. "We believe we now offer the best food and service in town."