Build Teams That Actually Thrive
Stop burnout before it costs you everything.
Burnout is costing UK businesses £51 billion a year.
Most of it is preventable. Almost none of the standard interventions — gym memberships, mental health apps, EAP schemes — address the actual cause.
Empire Kitchen does the upstream work that nobody else does. And it starts with the one thing every other strategy ignores: what your team puts in their body every day.
The Cost Your Wellbeing Budget Isn't Fixing
You've already tried the gym membership. The mental health app. The EAP. The fruit bowl on Fridays. They've helped a little — but the sick days haven't dropped, the burnout rate hasn't moved, and good people are still leaving.
That's because every one of those interventions works downstream. They manage the symptoms of a team that isn't nourished. None of them fix the foundation.
The foundation is nutrition. Specifically: a workforce running on caffeine, ultra-processed food, and Uber Eats — because the skill of cooking was never passed down to them. And a team that cannot consistently nourish itself cannot consistently perform.
What most leaders don't know: this is preventable. And fixing it costs less than one month of the problem.
The Numbers
Poor mental health costs UK employers £51 billion a year. Presenteeism — people showing up but not functioning — accounts for £24 billion of that alone.
Replacing a single burned-out employee costs a minimum of 20% of their annual salary. For a £35,000 hire, that's £7,000. Before you've even started interviewing.
And the research is consistent: for every £1 invested in the right support, employers see £4.70 back in productivity.
The gym membership didn't move those numbers. The fruit bowl didn't move them. The EAP didn't move them. That's because they're treating the symptoms.
Empire Kitchen works upstream — on the nutritional foundation that determines whether your team can handle the pressure you're putting them under. Before the burnout. Before the sick days. Before the resignation letter.
Sources: Deloitte 2024
The Strategy Smart Leaders Use
The Strategy Smart Leaders Use
Workshop
90 minutes of evidence-based research, practical tools, and a live demonstration that makes the whole thing feel achievable — not another thing on the to-do list. Your team leaves understanding why this matters, knowing exactly what to do, and having seen it done. The cooking is the proof, not the point.
Up to 10 people: £750
11–20 people: £1,200
21–30 people: £1,750
Online · 90 minutes · Less per head than a team lunch.
Keep It Going
The workshop builds the foundation. The membership sustains it.
Every month your team gets new recipes from food traditions around the world, a Cook Once Eat Twice system built for busy working weeks, cooking videos, meal plans, and a community of teams doing the same thing.
No managed programme. No scheduled sessions. No ongoing time from you.
From £120/month for a team of up to 10.
"I have renewed energy and clarity in my business that I just didn't have before when I was living on oven food and coffee"
— Amber, Entrepreneur & Small Business Owner
"The accountability of the group cooking sessions is so valuable and makes cooking feel fun and easy and actually encourages cooking to get done."
— Kerry, English Teacher & Remote Worker
Empire Kitchen workshops for business teams launched in 2026. These early testimonials are from individual professionals and entrepreneurs who have experienced Lace's work firsthand. Business client testimonials coming soon.
What Changes When You Build This Right
Fewer Sick Days — A team that eats well has a measurably more resilient stress response. Lower cortisol. Faster recovery. Fewer absences that cost you productivity and money.
Sharper Decisions — Cognitive performance is directly tied to nutritional status. Brain fog lifts. Decisions improve. The quality of your team's output goes up without anyone working harder.
Better Retention — Replacing a burned-out employee costs a minimum of 20% of their salary. A team that feels genuinely supported stays. Empire Kitchen gives them a reason to.
£750 for a team of ten. Less than one day of a burned-out employee's salary. More useful than any wellness perk you've bought.