Cucina's MD returns to the floor to spread Christmas cheer
Christmas came early for nearly 50,000 pupils this year. School catering company Cucina Restaurants’ managing director, Steve Quinn has been touring all 37 of the schools and academies up and down the country, preparing and serving nutritious but still delicious food. Pupils were treated to top restaurant standard dinners served by the management team working alongside existing staff.
Steve Quinn, Managing Director of Cucina, said:
“At Cucina it is important that we make nutritious meals that the kids will actually enjoy eating and make it a fun experience too. At this time of year many people indulge in foods that aren’t necessarily good for them, but at Cucina we can make sure that the food consumed at school is.
This included British red-tractor turkey – juicy and luscious to carve and serve. A ‘try these if you dare’ approach to brussel sprouts, which caused a bit of fun. Crispy-on-the-outside moist-on-the-inside roast potatoes, fresh carrots, peas, horse chestnuts, chipolatas, stuffing, gravy and cranberry sauce. For the vegetarians, roasted vegetable tartlets with crispy leeks, and a festive (non-alcoholic) punch for everyone.
For dessert we served our very own Christmas puddings. We had home-made vanilla sauce and home-made chocolate and orange mousse.
The price was just 3 pounds and we had festive tablecloths, dressed-up staff, Christmas crackers, and festive music mingling with a specially-created aroma (cinnamon, all-spice, cloves and oranges) from the kitchen."
He added; “I feel like Santa! The idea of me travelling around the schools we serve, with the senior management team, to assist our catering staff brings the Christmas spirit to life. It’s similar to our annual ‘Back to the Floor’ event where we surprise our ‘Cucina Catering Team of the Year’ and send them off in a limo to enjoy themselves for a day whilst we try to cook as well as they do! It’s also been a great opportunity to wish all pupils and staff a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year personally.”
Pupils were able to sample traditional Christmas meals after their 12 days of Christmas special Christmas dishes from November 28th.
Cucina Restaurants Ltd. serves fresh food to 50,000 pupils at 37 contracts up and down the country and is committed to providing quality, healthy meals at all schools. The School Food Trust has just chosen a case study about how it does this for its web site.
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http://www.marketingprojects.co.uk/news/cucina
Cucina Restaurants Ltd. was founded by Steve Quinn, a food and support services professional with 26 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 provides restaurant quality food and have installed professional chefs to run its operations at the new contracts.
All food is made from scratch in Cucina’s kitchens with chef theatre, ranging from homemade breads, fresh soups, delicious yoghurts, wholesome sandwiches and salads to fresh pizzas baked in professional pizza ovens. Cucina even makes their own tomato ketchup and mango chutney and are constantly updating their menus incorporating ‘stealthy eating’ and fresh ingredients to keep pupils and staff happy at all restaurants.
Please view the website for press releases or large resolution downloadable photos at www.marketingprojects.co.uk/news/cucina in Cucina’s press office there.
For Cucina’s top recipes:
www.marketingprojects.co.uk/news/cucina/news/recipes-from-cucina
The School Food Trust has published a case study about Cucina’s work ‘Cucina Catering – inspiring dissatisfied students to give school meals a try again’. It is published at:
http://www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/school-cooks-caterers/case-studies/topic/16/increased-uptake-financial-success/5/0/cucina-catering-inspiring-dissatisfied-students-to-give-school-meals-a-try-again
Steve Quinn is a consultant on the School Food Trust’s Caterer’s Forum. More information at: http://www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/school-cooks-caterers/for-school-cooks-caterers/caterers-forum
Press Office: Marketing Projects Tel: 01244 330000
Jane Harrad-Roberts Mobile: 07785 395705
info@marketingprojects.co.uk www.marketingprojects.co.uk
Client Contact: Cucina Restaurants Ltd Tel: 0845 3891320
Steve Quinn Email: steve@cucina.co.uk
Managing Director Website: www.cucina.co.uk
