Why CompliChef Supports the Cystic Fibrosis Trust
Every business has an origin story. CompliChef’s begins with its founder, Nicholas — a chef with more than 20 years of experience, a deep commitment to hospitality, and a lifelong connection to cystic fibrosis.
From today until January, CompliChef will donate 25% of all subscriptions to the Cystic Fibrosis Trust. After that, we will continue contributing a portion of our subscription revenue on an ongoing basis. This isn’t a marketing initiative — it’s something personal, meaningful, and rooted in lived experience.
The CF community has been part of Nicholas’s life from the very beginning. Supporting the Trust is a natural extension of the journey that shaped both him and this platform.
Nicholas’s Story: From ICT Student to 5★ Head Chef
Nicholas was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at birth. His older sibling also lives with CF, so his family understood early on what the condition would mean — hospital visits, physio, nebulisers, treatments, and the constant balancing act of staying well.
After leaving school, Nicholas studied ICT at college. He enjoyed technology, but quickly realised that sitting behind a desk didn’t feel right for him. He wanted energy, movement, pressure — something that felt alive. So he stepped into professional kitchens, starting at the very bottom and learning the craft shift by shift.
Kitchens aren’t easy places to build a career. 60–70 hour weeks, relentless pace, heat, noise, pressure, and long stretches on your feet. For Nicholas, all of that came with an added layer of exhaustion brought on by CF — a fatigue that stubbornly refuses to disappear, no matter how much rest you think you’ve had.
But he kept going, fuelled by passion, discipline, and a refusal to let CF decide the limits of his life. Step by step, role by role, he worked his way up, eventually becoming a Head Chef and leading multiple 5★ kitchens. These were achievements earned through grit — and often through circumstances most colleagues never even saw.
There were periods of hospital admissions when infections flared. Times when his lung function dipped. And stretches where he had to work while receiving IV antibiotics through a PICC line — injecting medication before a shift, then stepping onto the pass to run service. CF didn’t stop him, but it undeniably made every milestone require more from him than from most people.
These lived experiences — of pressure, exhaustion, responsibility, and the invisible weight of managing a condition — all shaped CompliChef. The platform exists to remove stress, reduce admin, and help kitchen teams run smoothly. It is, in many ways, a response to everything Nicholas wished kitchens had while he was battling through the hardest weeks.
What Is Cystic Fibrosis?
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic condition that affects the lungs, digestive system, and several other organs. It causes thick, sticky mucus to build up, leading to infections, reduced lung function, difficulty absorbing nutrients, and significant fatigue.
Many people with CF manage complex daily routines — inhalers, nebulisers, physiotherapy, medications, enzyme supplements, and regular medical reviews. When infections worsen, IV antibiotics are often required, sometimes administered at home through PICC or Hickman lines.
It is a challenging condition, physically and mentally. But thanks to organisations like the Cystic Fibrosis Trust, advances in treatment, research, and support have transformed life expectancy and outcomes for thousands of people.
Why CompliChef Is Giving Back
While CompliChef is not formally affiliated with the Cystic Fibrosis Trust, the work they do has been incredibly important to Nicholas’s life and to many families like his. The Trust has driven research, improved treatments, funded support services, and helped shape a future that looks increasingly hopeful for those living with CF.
Donating 25% of all subscriptions between now and January is our way of saying “thank you”. And continuing to donate on an ongoing basis is our way of ensuring that support doesn’t end when the year does.
If CompliChef can help kitchens succeed, it can also help the community that shaped its very beginning.
Looking Ahead
CompliChef was built to make kitchen operations smoother, safer, and less stressful — not just for chefs, but for everyone who keeps hospitality running. Supporting the CF Trust aligns with that mission: reducing burden, improving lives, and ensuring people have the support they need to thrive.
If you choose to join CompliChef during this period, thank you. Your subscription doesn’t only support better kitchen management — it supports a cause that means a great deal to our founder and to many families across the UK.
