It is 15 years since pupils at Bourton Meadow School in Buckingham last enjoyed freshly prepared food for lunch. Now today’s pupils can benefit from the experience.
“It was my ambition to reintroduce fresh food to the menu when I first came to the school”, explains head teacher Gill Race, “thanks to the publicity that Jamie Oliver has focused on the issue I now have the support of both parents and the LEA for the changes needed. The school now offers a choice of meals prepared on site using fresh ingredients delivered daily”.Food used to come from a central kitchen serving a number of schools in the area. Numbers taking lunch at the school slumped to a low of just 30 pupils before Gill took the decision earlier this year to terminate the arrangement and devote school funds to provide cooking facilities on site. Now around 150 pupils are enjoying a freshly prepared meal every day.
“I have to run school lunch as a self financing business”, explains Gill, “the initial investment came from general school funding but running costs have to be covered by the £1.50 a head meal charge”.
Bettaquip was awarded the contract for the design and install of the new kitchen, which is completely equipped with Electrolux professional equipment, including a 700 line cooking suite, an Air-O-Steam combi oven, refrigerated storage, a dishwasher and a servery counter.
A career in teaching is not the ideal background for designing a commercial kitchen. “I spoke to a number of potential suppliers”, explains Gill, “but felt that Bettaquip understood just what was needed and could provide professional advice and support. I am absolutely delighted with the new kitchen which has dedicated areas for vegetable, pastry and meat preparation, together with all the equipment that is needed to produce nourishing, healthy meals from fresh, locally sourced ingredients. We do have one fryer, but it will be used very infrequently – fish and chips is on the menu as a special treat just once every 3 weeks and then fresh potatoes will be used”.
Andy Bettany, director of Bettaquip says, “The needs of a kitchen preparing food from fresh ingredients are quite different to a conventional school kitchen which in recent years has been used to reheat ready prepared meals. More worktop space is essential for preparation and the need for mixers or processors has to be considered. Even the cooking equipment may need changing – a combi oven for instance cooks food faster with minimal losses of vitamins and nutrients compared to a conventional dry heat oven. Changes also have to meet the hygiene and safety requirements of a professional kitchen, such as adequate ventilation that is interlocked to safeguard the health of the catering staff. Interlocking is a legal requirement in a commercial kitchen to ensure operators are protected from exposure to high CO2 levels through inadequate ventilation. Expert advice is essential”.
- Mrs Gill Race, Head Teacher of Bourton
The Electrolux Group is the worlds No 1 choice for powered equipment for kitchen, cleaning and outdoor use. Its foodservice division produces equipment for food preparation, cold storage, cooking and warewashing carrying the world famous brand names of Electrolux, Zanussi Professional, Molteni and Dito. The full range of Electrolux equipment, backed by a full kitchen design and installation package, is available from BETTAquip Foodservice Solutions, an Electrolux Professional Partner.
Download a PDF version of the case study here.
Get Emails Updates
