Friday 22 June 2012

Hello

Hello Everyone.


Thank-you to those of you who have left comments since my last post.
I am OK thanks & i have not been told not to carry on with the blog.


I meant to make a post over a week ago but have been a bit busy with different things.
the reason why i have not put any new pictures of the food which i serve at the Private school i work at is because i have shown all four weeks of our menu. so the post would only be the same again.
I am currently compiling my new Menu's for the new term in September this year and so i will show you all with new Photo's etc.


In the mean time i do some work at Emirates Stadium & Wembley. if i get a chance i will post some Photos of the food we prepare there but please remember this will not be a comparison to school foods.


Lastly i would like to add that when i started this Blog, it was because of the Food that Veg (Martha) was showing on her school food Blog. I felt it was appalling and so thought i would post my own pictures on my blog. Some people have said how can i compare mine which is a private school to that of a state school when the food budget is entirely different. 
My budget is about 40p more than most state schools but i serve 3 courses as opposed to 2. 
i am only trying to show what can be achieved with a little thought and imagination. Yes i am a trained Chef so i have an advantage but there is plenty of information and recipes which can be adapted to school lunches. I work for a company which provides meals in state schools & Private schools and the principle is the same to all the schools. Fresh & Healthy food for all children. I dont feel that it is the cooks at Martha's school (or other schools) fault, they just need to be given more help & Guidance from their managers. Communication is the key. we have Meetings with the Children & the Parents to find out what they would like to eat (within reason) and from there we compile our Menu's giving a mixed balance of food which they like and what the parents would like them to eat. This is not always achievable but we do our best. 


WE CANT PLEASE EVERYBODY ALL THE TIME
BUT 
WE AIM TO PLEASE MOST OF THEM MOST OF THE TIME 

Friday 8 June 2012

Thursday 7th June 2012

Today's Menu

Curried Parsnip Soup

Sweet & Sour Chicken 
Long Grain Rice
Broccoli

Laughing Cow Cheese Spread 
Jacobs Cracker

Veggie
Sweet & Sour Vegetables

Fresh Fruit & Yoghurt Available


This is the start of the soup, Onions, Carrots, Celery & Parsnips with Curry Powder.


This is the veg for the Sweet & Sour Chicken. 


Above is the veg sweating down before the rest of the ingredients are added.

Below are the Dishes as they where served



Wednesday 6 June 2012

Wednesday 6th June 2012

Today's Menu

Melon Duo
 ( Honey Dew & Cantaloupe Melon)

Chicken Sausages In Gravy
Mashed Potato
Baked Beans 

Toffee Flavoured Yoghurt

Fresh Fruit Also Available



Our School was closed on Friday as well as the bank Holiday Monday & Tuesday, hence the reason for no post's.


Thursday 31 May 2012

Thursday 31st May 2012

Today i have decided to do my blog a little different.

Today's Menu.

Cucumber & Tomato Salad with optional Dressing
Chicken Strips with Tomatoes & Basil In a Pesto Sauce
Fusilli Pasta
Green Beans & Sweetcorn
Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Topping

Veggie Option
Baked Flat Mushroom with Tomatoes & Pesto Sauce

Fresh Fruit & Yoghurt also available.

So that the Menu for today but i thought i would take some pics of some of the food being prepared.

Below is a picture of the Chicken in trays. Here i have added fresh Tomato wedges, sliced Onion, Fresh Basil, Garlic Puree, Olive Oil & seasoning.


This is the Chicken all mixed up. After this i baked it in the oven at about 180 degrees for about 20 Mins 


I made the Pesto sauce separate and when the chicken was cooked i poured it over and mixed it in a Bit
I served this with Fusilli Pasta, I added Beetroot powder to the water which gave it a bit of a pink look. It is not a dye. its is made from fresh Beetroot which has been dried and Ground into a powder. 


Below is a picture of the Flat Mushrooms for the Vegetarians, I have poured Chopped Tomatoes over with Some Dried Basil & Drizzled some Olive oil as well. I then Baked them in the Oven.
I then Poured The pesto sauce over them once they where cooked.
 

And so Finally we have pictures of what the two dished looked like once served to the Children. 
These Portions Sizes are for 8 to 10 Yr Olds. 



Hope this is of interest to people out there .........




Wednesday 30 May 2012

Wednesday 30th May 2012


Today's Menu

Creamy Carrot Soup
Roast Pork, Baton Carrots & Roast Potatoes
Fromage Frais

Fresh Fruit also available.

Tuesday 29 May 2012

29th May 2012


Today's Menu

Cheese Baton with Apple Wedges
Daube of Beef with Tagliatelle & Green Beans
Chocolate Sponge & Vanilla Custard

The Daube of Beef is a French Stew traditionally the Beef is braised in red wine. I only put a little red wine in mine and cook the alcohol out and then add beef stock and simmer on the stove for 4 hours. There is plenty of baby onions & fresh herbs to add flavour as well as Bay leafs.



Monday 28 May 2012

Monday 28th May 2012


Today's Menu

Couscous Salad
Home Made Pizza with Pepperoni
Mixed Salad, French Dressing Optional.
Toffee Yoghurt

Veggie Option was Cheese & Tomato Pizza

Fresh Fruit Available as well.

Friday 25 May 2012

Friday 25th May 2012


Today's Lunch

Roasted Tomato & Basil Soup
Fish Fingers, Mashed Potato, Peas & Sweetcorn.
Vanilla Ice-Cream

Fresh Fruit & Toffee Yoghurt Available as well.

I have heard that some schools use powdered mash !!! Mine is made with fresh potatoes to which we add Flora and seasoning.

Thursday 24 May 2012

Thursday 24th May


Today's Lunch

Cheese & Tomato Bruschetta
Spaghetti Carbonara with Green Beans & Garlic Bread
Double Chocolate Chip Muffin

The Veggie option was the same but with a Tomato & Basil Sauce

Toffee Yoghurt & Fresh Fruit Available

Wednesday 23 May 2012

Wednesday 23rd May


Today's Menu

Cucumber Batons & Cherry Tomato with Natural Yoghurt
Roast Chicken Thigh, Roast Potatoes, Vichy Carrots & Gravy
Toffee & Chocolate Yoghurt

The Vegetarian Option was a Chive Pancake filled with Mushrooms, Spinach & Ricotta Cheese served with the Roast Po toes & Carrots.

Bread & Fresh Fruit was available as well.

Tuesday 22 May 2012

Tuesday 22nd May

Today's Lunch

Lettuce & Tomato Salad with French Dressing
Beef Moussaka, Boiled Potatoes & Petit Pois a la Francaise.
Fromage Frais

I don't put lardon's of bacon in the Peas as this would mean the non pork eaters could not eat.

Bread & Fruit available as well.

Monday 21st May


Today's Lunch was,

Melon (Honeydew & Cantaloup)
Beef Burger (4oz for the Bigger Children & 2oz for the smaller ones) in a Burger Bun with Mayo, Lettuce, Tomato & a slice of Cheddar Cheese.
Oven Baked Chips.
Chocolate & Vanilla Marble Cake With Chantilly Cream.

We serve Tomato Ketchup with this at the tables and the Vegetation option was the same but with a Vegetable 1/4 Pounder.
Fresh Fruit & Yoghurt also available.



Friday 18 May 2012

Friday 18th May




On Today's Menu We Have,

Egg Mayonnaise
Pan-fried Salmon with Lemon & Tomato
Creamed Mashed Potatoes
Vichy Carrots
Strawberry Jelly or Fromage Frais

The Veggie Option is a Vegetable Strudel on a Tomato Sauce

I have included a picture of the Fruits which we offer as well.

Thursday 17 May 2012

Thursday 17th May

Once a week we have what i call a junk food day, although nothing like what you would get from a take away.

Today we have,

Cucumber Batons with Natural Yoghurt
Home Made Pizza with Pepperoni & Mixed Salad & Dressing
Fromage Frais
As always Fresh Fruit Fruit & Natural Yoghurt available.

We make the yoghurt on site and i make all the pizza bases first thing in the morning. I make the pizza sauce using tomatoes, tomato purée, garlic, oregano & seasoning.
We use block Cheddar and grate it so we know exactly what's in it.
Also at the end of service when all the kids have been fed we do ask the pupils if they would like seconds on anything, as you can imagine there is often a long line waiting for more.

Wednesday 16 May 2012

Wednesday 16th May

So today we have,

Leek & Potato Soup
Roast Leg of Pork, Boiled Potatoes & Green Beans.
Double Chocolate Chip Muffin Cake.

It should have been Roast Potatoes but as i am waiting for an engineer to come and fix my main oven i had to do boiled.

The Vegetarian Option was Vegetable Sausages in Gravy & Roasted Chicken Thigh for the Non Pork eaters.

As always Fresh Fruit and Yoghurt also available.
I should also mention we always have some form of bread every day. Mostly Sliced Baguette but we do change it some times to suit the dish.

Tuesday 15 May 2012

Tuesday 15th May

Today's Menu

Cheddar with Apple Wedge
Chicken Curry with Rice, Peas & Garlic Naan Bread.
Vanilla Ice Cream Tub

The Chicken Curry is not spicy at all, just nice and mild. It has plenty of Carrots, Apple & Dried Apricots in it as well as the fresh chicken & Fresh Coriander.
As always there is Fresh Fruit & Home made Yoghurt available as well.
We have no vending machine on site, all children have water to drink which is poured for them and extra in jugs on the table. All children have a hot lunch. we only have 4 pack lunches which are due to sever medical reason's
Today's Dessert should have been Chocolate Chip Muffin Cake but i had problems with my oven and so did not cook in time. so we will use it on Wednesday instead.

Monday 14 May 2012

My School Lunches: Monday 14th May

My School Lunches: Monday 14th May: Today's lunch is Tomato & Cucumber salad with French Dressing Beef Lasagne with Cauliflower Gratin Oat Crusted Apple Crumble with Custar...

Monday 14th May

Today's lunch is Tomato & Cucumber salad with French Dressing
Beef Lasagne with Cauliflower Gratin
Oat Crusted Apple Crumble with Custard

The Veggie option was Creamy Courgette lasagne Made with Courgettes, Carrots & Ricotta Cheese.
We also had Available Whole Fresh Fruit and Toffee Flavoured Yoghurt which we make on site.

All food is Fresh, no Frozen and made today.

NeverSeconds: Big news, I have gone viral! 105,000 people have v...

NeverSeconds: Big news, I have gone viral! 105,000 people have v...: Big news, I have gone viral! 105,000 people have visited my blog and thanks to all of you. Even bigger news my dad got a tweet from Jamie Ol...

Saturday 12 May 2012

My School Lunches: This was from Wednesday this week. It is the veget...

My School Lunches: This was from Wednesday this week. It is the veget...: This was from Wednesday this week. It is the vegetarian option. It is Cherry Tomatoes, Buffalo Mozzarella, Black Olives Grated Cheddar wit...

Friday 11 May 2012

This was from Wednesday this week. It is the vegetarian option. It is Cherry Tomatoes, Buffalo Mozzarella, Black Olives Grated Cheddar with Chives and Egg, otherwise know as a frittata. Its not cooked here, it gets backed in the oven and comes out a lovely golden colour.
This was served with Roast potatoes and Baton Carrots.
I have just looked at the blog NeverSeconds and as a School Chef i was appalled by the offerings given to this 9 year old.
So i have created this bloke to try and show i what i give to the kids at my school.