Whitaker (left) set up the company in 1995 along with his wife Vita, and preceded to oversee its growth for over two decades.

Before Whitco, he worked as a sales director for Northamptonshire-based equipment supplier USS Catering from 1987-1995.

Whitaker’s long-standing career in the industry was not a preordained one and was not what he envisaged when he first enrolled at Hull Catering College in 1966, a course he later admitted he only took up so he would be able to join the merchant navy and “see the world”.

Whitco managing director Tony Butler said: “His warmth and personality suited the catering industry perfectly. This, combined with an enormous appetite for hard work and a commitment to taking the long-term view (“Stick at it” was a favourite mantra), laid the foundation for the growth of the company.

“His leadership and approach to management inspired trust among colleagues, employees, suppliers and customers. At the same time, his innovations fuelled the company’s growth and changed industry practices for the better.

“He knew how to extend hospitality to others and, not surprisingly, he enjoyed the company of friends, good food and knew his way around a fine wine list. His loyalty to friends and colleagues alike was boundless. This extended to acts of generosity that often went well beyond the call of duty.

“He is remembered as both a gentle man and a gentleman, possessed of a quiet dignity and a winning smile that seemed to enter the room just before he did.

“He leaves a legacy of a loving family and a business that he built over more than 22 years.”

Whitco will make an announcement concerning a service of remembrance in due course.