About QED web design
All about
QED web design
& who we are
Neil Patterson-Azzopardi founded QED web design in 2022 as a spin-off from his recruitment business, which he later sold in 2023. While the company is relatively new, Neil brings over fifteen years of WordPress expertise to the table, having worked extensively with the popular content management system throughout his career.
His journey from professional chef to successful entrepreneur demonstrates the power of a strong work ethic, unwavering dedication, and the Japanese philosophy of Kaizen (改善) – the practice of continuous improvement. Neil’s story exemplifies how commitment to growth and refinement can lead to remarkable career transformation and business success.
The origins of QED
Our story
In September 2024, QED web design was voted:
"Web Design Studio of the Year, 2024"
In 2024 QED web design was voted, again:
"Best web design studio - Devon 2024"
Later in 2023 QED was voted:
"Web Design Studio of the Year, 2023"
In 2023 QED web design was voted:
"Best web design studio - Devon 2023"
During the covid pandemic, Hospitality closed, and so recruitment stopped. Looking at how he could turn this to his advantage, Neil threw himself into learning more about professional website design.
Such was the learning curve QED now has a trusted network of freelancers who do work for us, on an as & when required basis.
QED was born.
Writing the blog was great, but it didn't bring in enough revenue to live on - even though it had 11,000 users on average, per month.
Having built up nearly 30yrs worth of contacts, Neil hung up his chef whites and started his own chef recruitment company, Chef Associates.
However, people he knew in and around Hospitality would ask him about doing affordable websites for them. After five years, QED web design was born. Neil sold Chef Associates in 2023 to concentrate solely on the website design.
In 2003 Neil decided that working in Michelin starred & 3 rosette kitchens had lost its shine, he became freelance.
In 2010/11 the idea for a blog was born, written about the Hospitality industry from the inside by a veteran. Originally the blog was on WordPress.com, an essentially free platform where you didn't have to worry about breaking it or any of the complexities a website designer has to worry about.
Due to popularity, the blog moved to being self-hosted. This was a steep learning curve, as Neil had to learn about hosting, DNS, domains and all the things you need to know just to get your work out on to the internet.
As leaving school, with what could only be described as below average grades, Neil got a place on a National company's management training scheme.
He found his home once he reached the kitchens, but they also instilled the work ethic which he's become synonymous. Working five days a week in the kitchens, having one day at college on day-release and one day off, was the punishing routine for four years.
Neil lives in the South Hams part of Devon, just on the edge of Dartmoor National Park, with his Head teacher wife, Rachel, and their son George.
His interests include his 1L Absolut vodka collection (currently reaching in excess of fifty bottles), Liverpool football club, collecting cookery books and Pet Shop Boys era electronica music.
Unusual fact about Neil?
He’s allergic to bananas 🍌