Catering
At Royal Russell, we believe in the importance of a healthy, nutritious and balanced diet for all our pupils.
We pride ourselves on the quality of food we produce. It is freshly prepared each day by our professional and talented catering team who are focussed on delivering innovative, healthy and tasty meals.
We recognise that a good diet improves children’s wellbeing, mood and academic performance. Encouraging healthy eating habits within school, teaches children how to make positive food choices which will continue throughout their lives.
Mealtimes should be looked forward to and there should be something for everyone to enjoy so we have recently extended the range to include:
- Morning break Snack Bar
- Street Food (different foods from around the world)
- Bistro Kitchen (offering freshly baked Pizza and Panini)
- Main course of the day with fresh vegetables
- Pasta Bar (including gluten free), with two fresh and tasty sauce toppings
- Jacket potato with a choice of toppings
- Soup Bar – two freshly made soups (one always suitable for vegetarian diets), served with freshly baked bread & croutons
- Healthy ten item salad bar selection with a separate cold protein dish of the day
- Daily selection of handmade hot and cold desserts
- Selection of cut and whole fresh fruit
- Freshly made natural yoghurt
Special Dietary Needs:
We support a wide range of dietary requirements, including intolerances, allergies, vegan, Halal and offer bespoke requirements for individuals.
Boarding at Royal Russell
The catering team provides breakfast, lunch, tea & supper for our Boarding Community, seven days a week. Boarders also have the opportunity to prepare snacks in their Boarding Houses. Throughout the year, special events are catered for which the Boarders participate in the planning and menu selection. These include summer BBQ’s, Halloween / Bonfire Night, the annual Snow Ball and Chinese New Year celebrations.
Drapers’ Café
Inspired by the founders of the school and independent café life now so widespread in the High StreetRoyal Russell Sixth Formers, Staff, Parents and Visitorsare now using the recently refurbished Drapers’ Cafe in a variety of ways: to have a freshly made barista coffee or speciality tea, enjoy a range of snacks and cold drinks and treats, just to meet with friends, read the newspaper, catch up via TV on the news and world events or to just quietly sit and work.
Sustainable Catering at Royal Russell
The 40 strong Catering team provides over 8,000 cooked meals a week along with numerous requests for packed lunches, sports and events refreshments and catering for more formal occasions within the school calendar. Given the scale of the catering operation, environmental sustainability is a top priority. Our suppliers are as local as possible to minimise ‘food miles’, our takeaway containers are biodegradable and we use plant starch ‘not a plastic’ cups for cold drinks. Single use plastics are used sparingly and as a last resort.
We Measure Our Food Standards By
- Using the expertise of our Institute of Hospitality qualified Catering Manager and Craft Guild of Chefs member Executive Chef to ensure that all our food is produced to a healthy and nutritious standard
- Creating recipes and use cooking methods that minimize the amount of salt, sugar and saturated fats in our food
- Consistently achieving the highest rating – 5 Star – from Croydon Borough Council Environmental Health Department
- Partnering a third party Procurement company to ensure that all suppliers are fully compliant with legislation, continually deliver to our specification and advise on the quality and availability of fresh seasonal produce
- Ensuring all our raw meat is sourced locally from UK only suppliers who adhere to UK guidelines on animal welfare and food production. All meat purchased is fully traceable to its origin
- Inviting feedback from our pupils at twice termly meetings. We respond to their input and regularly include their suggestions in our menus
Overall we strive to deliver the best catering possible and are always looking at options for improvement. The Catering Manager, Edward Broderick, welcomes the opportunity to talk to both parents and pupils about the catering service and any special dietary needs. Please contact him via the School Reception if you would like any further information.
Inspectors found the food to be well balanced, healthy and varied.
Children learn about being healthy as they enjoy nutritious lunches and healthy snacks."
ISI Inspection Report
