School Catering Excellence Award Win
The Harefield Academy has received The London Borough of Hillingdon School Catering Excellence Award 2007. Cucina’s top international chef, Joe Kemel has accepted the Award on behalf of The Harefield Academy, Middlesex for the great tasting food he and his team serve pupils.
This is one of the few Catering Excellence Awards presented by the London Borough of Hillingdon in 2007.
The Harefield Academy has been striving for the Award, which is part of the Food in School initiative, from the local authority for some time. Cucina took over the contract in January 2007 and provide fresh, great tasting food. Joe and the Cucina team have already made an impact.
Cucina has a fast growing number of schools throughout the country benefiting from freshly prepared, healthy food, made from locally sourced ingredients and planned by a top nutritionist. Cucina’s passion and enthusiasm for healthy eating and their proven track record, as well as The Harefield Academy’s support and effort, has enabled the Award win. The food promotes wellbeing for both students and staff at The Harefield Academy and meets all the new food guidelines, as well as being prepared in a hygienic and safe kitchen.
Sarah Durner, of Healthy Hillingdon, said: “The Harefield Academy has been awarded the London Borough of Hillingdon School Catering Excellence Award 07 for achievements in meeting the Government’s Food-based standards. Previously, the Academy was also awarded excellence in Healthy Eating as part of the National Healthy School Status. Great changes have been made to the menu and The Academy has helped to set the standard for how Secondary Schools should be taking on a whole school approach to healthy eating.”
Dr Phil Bassill, Director of Resources and Business Development, at The Harefield Academy said: “We are delighted The Harefield Academy has been awarded the London Borough of Hillingdon School Catering Excellence Award for 2007.The children at The Harefield Academy benefit from healthy, well prepared, exciting food from Cucina. We have seen Cucina’s positive influence on the students’ energy, behaviour and attention spans. Before Cucina was brought in, a significant number of students were choosing not to eat at The Academy restaurant, but Cucina has really turned this around.”
Steve Quinn, managing director of Cucina, added: “Congratulations must go to Joe and all of the team at The Harefield Academy for achieving this prestigious Award. This is great news for Cucina and The Academy – we are delighted that we share the same beliefs. This Award is the result of these common beliefs. We are driving towards achieving this Award for every one of our School partnerships. Cucina believe that food has a vital role in our wellbeing and we are proving that good, fresh food can increase student numbers eating healthily bucking the current declines being seen across the UK. We are delighted that our approach to food is beginning to have knock on effects in the classroom too.”
French chef Joe Kemel, 37, who has worked alongside Michelin Starred chefs including Jean-Christophe Novelli, said: “I manage a wonderful team at The Harefield Academy and this is a great boost. Representatives from Hillingdon Borough Council came to The Harefield Academy and looked at the quality of the food in terms of flavour, variety and presentation. The awarding body were particularly impressed with the variety of healthy options available at The Harefield Academy.”
Since Cucina secured the contract at The Harefield Academy Cucina has increased food sales by 300 per cent.
Joe trained in cuisine management in Strasbourg and has worked as a chef in hotels and restaurants all over the world. He was inducted at Southfield School for Girls based in Kettering Northants where he followed the guidelines implemented by the Cucina team there, before introducing them at The Harefield Academy.
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Notes to Editors
Healthy Hillingdon is a specialist Health Promotion Organisation which aims to promote health and reduce health inequalities in Hillingdon through enabling people to increase control over their health and choice over their health related behaviour.
Cucina was founded by Steve Quinn, a food and support services professional with 24 years experience within the industry, working with international hotel groups such as Rank, Thistle, Hilton and Concorde (in France), as well as contract catering firms Sodexho (formerly Gardner Merchant) and the Compass Group. Steve works with a team of top chefs and professionals to ensure that his vision of great food is truly embraced and delivered.
Cucina’s restaurants are fast growing and currently deliver specialist catering services to:
1. Southfield Specialist Schools for Girls, Kettering, Northants: Specialist Sports College with 1960 pupils aged 11-18, www.southfield.northants.sch.uk
2. The Harefield Academy, Middlesex: A Specialist Sports Academy with 660 pupils aged from 11-18 as well as Watford FC Academy Players www.theharefieldacademy.org
3. Sandhurst School, Berkshire: State Secondary School with 1200 pupils aged 11-18 www.sandhurst.bracknell-forest.sch.uk
4. Driffield Junior School, East Yorkshire: Junior School with 564 pupils aged 7-11
5. St.Mary’s Primary School, Northamptonshire: Primary School with 276 pupils
6. Edgebarrow School, Berkshire: State Secondary School with 1260 pupils aged from 11-18. www.edgebarrow.bracknell-forest.sch.uk
What Clients say about Cucina:
Lynda Lorentzen, bursar for Southfield School for Girls Specialist College, said:
“The standard of food at Southfield now wouldn’t be out of place in a restaurant and all the fresh fruit and vegetables on offer ensure that the girls get the nutrients they need”. Prior to Cucina’s involvement, less than 10 per cent of students and staff paid for school meals and most opted to bring in their own packed lunch which often included crisps and chocolate. Now more than 500 girls enjoy a cooked meal at lunch time”.
Jane Carpenter, Business and Enterprise Manager for Edgbarrrow School, added:
“Very few of our students were buying lunches before Cucina took over, but now take up has soared. The quality of food Cucina produce is excellent and “stealthy eating’ is a great concept. Cucina is a young, enthusiastic, exciting and innovative company. The relationship is as important to them as it is to us. Cucina incorporate the hands on involvement of their directors and they have an obvious passion for what they do. Cucina has a desire to be part of the School, rather than just being our caterers. Cucina provide high quality food in line with Government guidelines, but still accommodate the needs of all our school community.”
6th former Cassie Watts was one of the students on the selection panel for the new catering contract at Southfield School for Girls said: “I chose Cucina because when they made their presentation they spoke to us, not just to the adults. After all we’re their biggest customers, not the adults. And they have delivered exactly what they said they would. It’s the best decision we ever made”
Contact Cucina
Press Office: Marketing Projects Telephone: 01244 330000 Jane Harrad-Roberts Mobile: 07785 395705 Phil Brotherhood Mobile: 07884 493370 info@marketingprojects.co.uk www.marketingprojects.co.uk
Please view the website for press releases or photos which are available on request at www.marketingprojects.co.uk in Cucina’s press office.
Recent press stories: The Guardian: Southfield School for Girls pupils are fully engaged in their meal choices and are now eating healthily thanks to Cucina http://education.guardian.co.uk/schoolmeals/story/0,,2186556,00.html
School Food Trust: Cucina inspiring dissatisfied students to give school meals a try again: http://www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/stacker_detail.asp?Contentid=465
Times Education Supplement: School meal takings have soared as heavenly gastro grub has kicked Jamie Oliver into touch. http://www.tes.co.uk/search/story/?story_id=2316530
For Cucina’s top recipes: http://www.marketingprojects.co.uk/clientpo/59/news/736
For more information on the Food Based Standards visit: http://www.marketingprojects.co.uk/clientpo/59/news/751
Client Contact: Cucina Restaurants Ltd Telephone: 0845 3891320 Steve Quinn Email: steve@cucina.co.uk Managing Director Website: www.cucina.co.uk
