CULTURAL DIVERSITYLTURAL D IVERSITY CULT
Feeding Diversity W
ithin schools in the UK you will find a rich cultural diversity with students from
different cultures, countries, religions and traditions. Innovate embraces this diversity as an opportunity to do what we do best, which is to ensure that all tastes are not only catered for, but celebrated. One menu certainly does not fit all. This means, inevitably, that it is essential to offer a wide range of food choices within each school.We believe that most school menus are just too narrow, too limited. But determining exactly what that choice should be takes time and effort – and continuous reinvention. This is how we do it.
Our starting point is to ask the customer. So we run online surveys with students, we meet with Student Councils, we run food development tasting sessions and we have an Innovate-ions wall where students can post new food ideas and give feedback. This allows us to test new ideas nd likes, dislikes, interests, the demand for healthier
vegetarian demand, and better understa
foods, and creative and quality perceptions. This gives us a real feel of what the students are after, whilst providing them with an open forum to speak freely and converse about one of their favourite subjects - food.We then use this feedback to develop our menus and product mix in the school in question. This process doesn’t stop there, it’s one that is continually used throughout the duration of a contract to ensure we are catering to the tastes of our customers each and every year.
Next we measure what students are actually buying. This helps us deal with a problem known to all dieticians and market researchers – what people say they want is different to what they actually consume! Because we use very modern EPOS and back-of-house systems we are able to measure what products sell, in what volumes, at what times of the day. This is really helpful in understanding whether we are truly meeting the needs of a culturally diverse customer base – or only addressing one section of that base. Three, we celebrate different foods from different parts of the world.We use seasonal events to creatively address cultural diversity. Celebrating different cultures and foods is a fabulous way to engage and embrace different food types. Some of the seasonal events we celebrate include; Chinese New Year, Easter, Eid, Diwali, American Independence Day, Christmas.
ty
Four, we actively encourage our students to experiment and try new things. Recently, for example, we used National VegetarianWeek, to launch a brand new Vegan menu into our schools. This new range not only ticked the box for the vegetarians and vegans out there, but also offered exciting new dishes for those that eat meat, have a Halal preference, and of course those with intolerances with dairy or egg.We support all our events with marketing and educational media that link to the themed subject.
Five, through our Innovate Academy we develop recipes that are compliant with specific cultural or religious traditions. For example, we can accommodate both Halal and non-Halal choices.We pride ourselves of being active partners with our clients, and a contractor that is very flexible to the needs of the school and its students.
In summary, we celebrate cultural diversity rather than see it as a challenge.We use it to create excitement for our students and we ourselves enjoy the challenge of coming up with new menu ideas and special events. It is, after all, the readiness to experiment with food and
ingredients from around the world that has re- invented British cooking.We want to see that continue, especially in schools.
Innovate began transforming school catering in 2007 with a clear vision of combining traditional, healthy eating and nutritionally compliant values along with the need to significantly improve uptake levels.We achieve this through an innovative and creative fresh food and retail focused offer, which brings high street standards to our young consumers.
Our services include street food style counters & grill bars, showcasing both traditional foods alongside some of our very unique themed offers, rustic salad bars and an eclectic Vegan menu. We work in collaboration with our clients
student dining expe at every level. This p ensuring that the sc
their education.
Our philosophy of innovative transformation o f catering services has been extremely successful in over 80 schools, academies and FE colleges across the UK.
hool community is supported artnership approach delivers a rience that positively enhances
If youwould like to hear howwe could revolutionise your school catering, then please contact:
Hello@innovatefood.co.uk Te
Tel: 01932 411110 Wewould love to cook for you… June 2016 2016 www. wwweducation-toda
y.co.uk.co.uk 92
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