Catering

New Catering Provider for Oakgrove

When pupils return in September, they will notice an exciting change, as Oakgrove is now working in partnership with Innovate, the school’s new catering provider. On offer will be restaurant quality cuisine, which is inspired by the best and most fashionable high street concepts.

The aim is to deliver a wow factor from day one, with the focus on great quality main meals. Pupils will immediately feel the impact with queue times shortened and serving times quickened. The serveries will be rebranded, new equipment installed and the decor will feature images and messaging to improve the dining area ambience and overall experience.

Menu

Pupils will benefit from nutritionally balanced, seasonal and fresh food with ingredients that have been sourced responsibly. The menu will follow a similar weekly pattern, so that pupils know what to expect; for example, a roast dinner served every Wednesday and a curry every Thursday. There will be a salad bar bursting with homemade healthy choices, once Covid-19 has resolved. Menus will be displayed in situ and online.

At the secondary, there will be a large selection of ‘grab and go’ items, including baguettes, paninis and burritos. A new barcoding system, on these and on other products, will help speed up service. An all-day café in the sixth form centre for Years 12 and 13 will offer bean to cup coffee and a bespoke food provision. There will also be the option to use contactless, Apple and Google Pay facilities. Each dining table at the primary will feature vegetable crudités to entice pupils to eat colourful food each day.

Menus will include halal options at the primary and, at both school locations, the ‘V’ range will cater for vegetarians and vegans.

There will be regular themed days celebrating events, such as ‘Bonfire Night’, ‘Chinese New Year’ and ‘World Book Day’, to name just a few.

The Dining Experience

Oakgrove will be working with Innovate to create a quality dining experience for the students. At the secondary, the provision will be designed as a restaurant and investment will create an area that is bright, friendly and engaging for the primary pupils to enjoy spending time in.

In the kitchen, Oakgrove Secondary will install new front of house counters, drop down copper pendant lighting and a brand new till system. As well as the introduction of the bean to cup coffee brand, Brewhouse, there will be a small oven installed where a supervisor will bake Danish pastries and handheld food products in the sixth form café.

At the primary, investment will be made in light equipment and bakery racks to improve the operation, so that pupils can serve themselves salad and fruit items. Future works will include a new mural design on the walls.

Innovate will also provide catering across all the Kingsbridge Education Trust’s schools and has produced a short video youtube.com/watch?v=PbNx_ORv-YI&feature=youtu.be