The Source

I was Head Chef at Bartholomew school in Eynsham in Oxfordshire from September 2020 to February 2022, working for the wonderful Head Teacher Mr C Thomas.

Bartholomew school is an Eynsham Academy Partnership School.  There are 1300 pupils.  Let me tell you what I achieved during my time there and how.

Catering facilities

The school has a large welcoming food hall that leads to the kitchen.  There are two service counters where we operate a two-way service counter for our unique hot main focusing on seasonal British, well cooked, nutritious food, paired with an interesting snack option.  The kitchen is quite well equipped but with growing student numbers the equipment will need to be looked at soon.

As well as a hot main meal, we offer the pupils fresh daily made sandwiches, wraps, baguettes, rolls, and a super selection of salad boxes, fresh fruit pots which have become increasingly popular in my time as Head Chef at the school.

I have been able to write my own menus weekly, allowing creativity and seasonality.

Here are some menu examples:

British classics: British Beef three ways, Roast British beef, Cottage Pie with Root Mash topping, Beef Casserole with Smoked Mash, Seasonal British Veg, Leek & Cheddar Pie.

Street food style:

Chilli loaded Hot Dogs

Seasonal Spicy Slaw (celeriac, white/red cabbage, carrot, savoy cabbage, beetroot)

Homemade British potato paprika wedges.

Middle eastern style preserved lemon Chicken Tagine

British Beef Kofta

Cauliflower Shawarma (showcasing British Cauliflower)

Couscous

Homemade falafel

Baba Ganoush

Hummus

British white cabbage, pomegranate, sumac salad

Budget per head

The hot main course is sold at £2.50

Some of the suppliers I have loved working with

My greatest locally sourced product is R-Oil a completely amazing natural extra virgin cold pressed rapeseed oil.  Naturally grown on the farm in the Cotswolds.  Tasty and versatile with a lovely amber colour, light nutty flavour it tastes great.

R-Oil is a family business based in the Cotswolds that specialises in the production of this sensational extra virgin cold pressed rape seed oil.  The oil is extremely versatile and high quality, it can be used in a variety of ways from deep frying to salad dressings, marinades to roasting.

My meat is all British and is sourced from Barnstable, North Devon as it is supplied by my bigger suppliers at the moment.

There is room to now push forward and try and source more local meat, dairy, and eggs in the future. 

My achievements in my time as head chef include: 

Taking the catering department to another level making it a unique selling point for the school.

Planning & creating successful daily seasonal, well cooked, nutritious hot food (using British seasonal ingredients wherever possible).

I have increased the numbers of students choosing my hot main meal by 50%.

I have increased the vegetarian option take up by 60%.

I have renamed the old canteen to the much more modern & exciting 'Food Hall', authorized by the head teacher where students can come and experience a foodie journey of flavours, tastes, cultures, and fun allowing them to enjoy and look forward to their food breaks.

Daily interacting with the students while serving their hot food, explaining the ingredients in dishes and allowing them to adventure and experience new ingredients and tastes.

Training the team to excite the students in the Love British Food ethos every week, every month, not just for British Food Fortnight, that is so important to shout about.

From school to outside of work, I am busy working on Love British Food cookery school classes (classes of 10) to be run for children in my village hall on some Saturdays during the year.

Lessons learnt and hot tips while Head Chef at the school

• Create a weekly menu of a balance of British classics and food from around the world

• Make sure your team are well briefed on ingredients & seasonal food, so they can educate the students too.

• Have small taster dishes at front of counter now Covid is not so prominent to encourage students to try new tastes and foods.

• Do not waste any left-over foods, constantly think of clever ways to re-use ingredients. Dont be lazy, think, think, all the time.

• Work with suppliers to help create great weekly menus with any seasonal British special offers

• Engage with all school staff as have had some brilliant, home grown herbs, vegetables from peoples allotments to include into my menus.

• My head teacher has played a massive role in my achievements with his positive attitude and support in everything I wanted to roll out and achieve while I was Head Chef at Bartholomew School, so communication with senior management is very important so you can work together in delivering the best possible lunch time service to the students.

• Be positive, creative, dynamic with a can-do attitude, plus respectful which will become addictive and will rub off onto students and staff in an awesome way.

• Display baskets of seasonal vegetables that are in menus and place in prominent place near counters as this creates a student talking point for discussions and education at mealtimes.

Advice for other school chefs putting British on the menu

Before I came to Bartholomew school as Head Chef the school was not so passionate about incorporating British seasonal food themed dishes into the weekly hot menus.  This is how I achieved a change.
 

1. Get your head teacher on board and excited about Love British Food ethos and using departments to help you promote your menus.
2. Speak to your suppliers, both big and more local about products, seasonality and British.
3. Keep your team involved and well briefed on your menu ideas, aims and ambitions.
4. Visit local farm shops to fire up creativity and seasonality plus talking to producers about products and possible sales.