Helen Browning, Chief Executive of the Soil Association, said “Food for Life decided to establish an annual celebration to shine the spotlight on cooks and food providers from across the UK who are achieving great standards. There has been a doubling in the number of food providers engaging with our celebration of excellence, despite the turmoil and uncertainty facing the food service industry, and this is something we’re delighted to shout about. Cooks and food providers achieving our standards can, therefore, be rightly proud, confident and bold about providing the best in sustainable and healthy catering in the UK.”
Gratitude for the award was felt by all, with manager Carl Stevenson stating, “I’m very proud of the team and what we have achieved, as we have improved the quality of our home-cooked food for all our residents, making them feel more at home away from home. I am so proud that their hard work has been acknowledged”.
Summerfield House manager Carl Stevenson and two of the cooks receiving the award from the Gret British Bake-off Judge Prue Leith.
Prue Leith CBE was joined by a panel of judges including Bee Wilson and Tim Lang to celebrate the exceptional people and food providers who are making a difference and inspiring others through the Soil Association Food for Life’s sustainable catering frameworks; Food for Life Served Here and Green Kitchen Standard. This year, the awards also celebrated the 10th anniversary of Food for Life Served Here and pioneering organisations who were early adopters.
Winners were chosen by an independent judging panel including Professor Tim Lang – Professor of Food Policy at City University of London, Bee Wilson – food writer, historian and school food campaigner, Myles Bremner – CEO of Bremner Consulting, Stephen Forster – National LACA Chair, and Lynsey Gordon – Category Manager at Scotland Excel.
The Healthcare Champion 2019 award.
The judges were looking for people and food providers with an outstanding commitment to embedding the Food for Life Served Here standards, who are going above and beyond in sourcing and serving healthy food that’s better for the environment and made with sustainable practices in mind.
For the Healthcare Champion award, judges were looking for those going above and beyond to champion Served Here, who uphold the Served Here values and promote these in their healthcare setting. Judges commented, “Carl’s strong commitment to a good food culture shines through – not least in being an exemplar and leader for others in the region. Putting good food at the heart of good care has led to impressive results.”
Other winners included:
- Further and Higher Education Champion Award – Ivan Hopkins at Nottingham Trent University
- Food for Life Supplier Scheme Champion – Yeo Valley
- Early Years Champion Award – Tracy Miller & Olivia Cherry at Woodlands Day Nursery Childbase Partnership
There is a variety of standards you have to reach in order to qualify/win the award. The Food for Life Served Here Standards are:
Bronze
- Meals contain no undesirable food additives or hydrogenated fats
- 75% of the dishes are freshly prepared
- Meat is from farms which satisfy UK welfare standards
- Eggs are free-range
- Menus are seasonal
- Training is provided for all catering staff
- Free drinking water is available
- No endangered fish are served
- Information about where the food has come from is on display
- Suppliers meet food safety standards
- School caterers meet government guidelines for food and nutrition
Silver and Gold
The Silver and Gold Catering Mark Standards work on a flexible points system, which rewards spend on ethical, environmentally friendly and local ingredients, and recognises steps to offer healthier menus.
- At Silver, at least 5% of ingredients are organic and a selection of local or UK produce is served. A number of steps are taken to make meals healthier.
- At Gold, at least 15% of ingredients are organic, a significant proportion of the ingredients caterers use must be from the UK or produced locally and further steps are taken to make healthy eating easier.
To find out more visit www.foodforlife.org.uk / @safoodforlife
Here at Bondcare, we are proud to offer a high standard of care to all our residents, tailoring our services to each individual to ensure they enjoy their stay with us. Creating a warm and friendly environment for both residents and staff is a priority for our homes, giving you peace of mind yourself or a family member will receive the best possible care. Get in touch with us today for more information on our services or if you have any queries.
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