RAVENOUS customers have come out in praise for the manager of one of the town's healthy alternatives to fast food.

Owen Brunt from Italian street food restaurant WOLF has been nominated in the Manager of the Year category of the Reading Retail Awards 2017.

The 28-year-old has been in charge for nearly one year and has seen Reading take to his vision of healthy and freshly made cuisine after bursting onto Broad Street two years ago.

He said: "There is not a job in this building I can't do or haven't done. I will do everything from cooking and serving the food to cleaning out the toilets.

"I am the hardest working person because that is the way it should be. I should be leading from the front and giving the staff something to aspire to."

Owen started at WOLF waiting tables and was rewarded for his dedication by being named as a nominee in the town's prestigious business awards.

"I have been working in Reading for eight years at a lot of different places," he added. "We are always looking for new ways to make the business as successful as possible and I do work hard, but I have always believed that the manager should lead by example.

"A lot of our marketing has focused on 'feeding the pack' and being 'hungry like the wolf' so we thought WOLF would make an interesting name.

"Someone once told me that a restaurant should run like a swan. Everything appears serene above the surface, but underneath you are franticly kicking to make sure everything is done."

Owen claims to be the hardest working member of his team and is proud of the role his team plays in serving the town healthy treats.

"I have always wanted to get involved with Reading Retail Awards and after working hard to get the business to this point it would be vindication for all of my hard work if I was lucky enough to win."

Entry forms for the Reading Retail Awards are available at Broad Street Mall and The Oracle. Nominations close on Monday, July 10.

Visit: readingretailawards.co.uk for more information.