Our relationship with food forms a core pillar of how we live our lives, from finding new flavours as a child to family meals, dinner parties and evenings out – its a personal experience that remains just as important and impactful to enjoying our lives as we get older. Our 2025 Care Awards Best Nutrition and Dining award winners Braeburn Care have made meals a key part of their approach to home care.

Getting to Know Braeburn Care

Led by CEO Harriet Smith, Braeburn Care has built a strong reputation for delivering highly personalised home care in Kent and East Sussex. From developing bespoke care plans to building meaningful daily routines, their work reflects a deep commitment to improving quality of life.

Their mealtime support services are a key differentiator. Braeburn Care’s team takes into account dietary requirements, cultural considerations, and the emotional importance of food and social connection. The goal is to make mealtimes moments of comfort, choice, and wellbeing.

This attention to detail extends to hydration support, batch cooking, family involvement, and proactive shopping assistance. It’s an approach that not only improves nutrition, but also contributes to stronger engagement and better health outcomes.

In Conversation with Harriet Smith, CEO of Braeburn Care

Please provide a brief overview of your business or what you do within the company.
As CEO of Braeburn Care, I oversee the strategic growth and operational delivery of our high-quality home care services across Kent and East Sussex. We specialise in tailored, person-centred care, ranging from daily support visits to more complex care such as dementia support, palliative care, and respite or live-in services. Our focus is on delivering compassionate, dignified care that allows individuals to maintain independence and remain in their own homes. We’ve built a reputation for excellence in both customer experience and team culture, earning 10/10 ratings on homecare.co.uk and 5-star reviews on Google.

What would you attribute as the main reason for your success?
It’s our people. From our frontline care professionals to our experienced management team, every individual at Braeburn Care shares a common purpose – to make a meaningful difference to the lives of those we support. Our team culture is rooted in compassion, accountability, reassurance and excellence, which creates a ripple effect felt by our customers and their families.

What has been the biggest challenge you have overcome?
Launching and scaling a care company in a competitive and highly regulated sector during a period of workforce shortages has certainly been a challenge. Balancing growth while maintaining service quality, particularly when recruitment is tough, has required innovation, resilience, and a laser focus on our values.

What do you think made you stand out as a winner in the awards? Tell us about the specific project or facet of your business you believe earned you this award win.
We were honoured to receive the award for Best Nutrition and Dining in the 2025 Business Awards UK – Care Awards. This was in recognition of our attention to detail around mealtime support, which we see as a cornerstone of wellbeing. Our care professionals don’t just prepare meals – they take time to understand dietary preferences, cultural sensitivities, and presentation, making each mealtime a moment of dignity, joy, and nutrition. We built our approach with support from families and specialists, and the impact has been remarkable in terms of engagement and health outcomes.

What is the next big step for you?
Our next big step is threefold: expanding our services further across West Kent and East Sussex, investing in technology, and deepening our investment in our team. We’re enhancing our use of digital systems to further develop care monitoring, family communication, and operational efficiency, ensuring our service remains both modern and responsive. But just as importantly, we’re committed to supporting the people who deliver our care. This means investing in professional development, recognising achievements, and providing a working culture that values wellbeing, flexibility, and growth. By strengthening both our service delivery and our team, we’re ensuring Braeburn Care continues to raise the bar for what excellent home care looks like.

Would you recommend Business Awards UK to other businesses? If so, why?
Absolutely. Not only does it provide external validation of your efforts, but the process also encourages self-reflection – something I’ve found hugely valuable as a leader. The awards raise your brand profile, boost team morale, and show your customers that you’re striving for the very best.

Looking Ahead

Braeburn Care’s success in the nutrition and dining category highlights how thoughtful details can have a lasting impact. Their investment in mealtime experience demonstrates a broader commitment to dignity, independence, and client wellbeing.

With plans to expand geographically, embrace technology, and further develop their team, Braeburn Care is poised to continue raising the bar in home care.