There are numerous benefits to be gained from consuming food that has been produced and sourced locally. The freshness of the food is one of the biggest draws. When food is picked at the peak of ripeness and consumed soon after, it not only tastes better, but it is also more nutritious. By choosing to support local food systems where possible, we can each help to create a more resilient, sustainable, and connected communities - building relationships between farmers, consumers, and businesses.
I recently visited Soho Primary School to see the benefits in sourcing fresh local produce via their innovative Chefs in Schools program. The program, designed to improve the nutrition and quality of the meals provided in schools across the country, is an exciting and ground-breaking initiative. The project pioneered by Henry Dimbleby, brought on board Nicole Pisani, former head chef at the acclaimed Soho restaurant Nopi. Together alongside their team, they are revolutionising school lunches and retraining cooks using the restaurant brigade system, teaching them to cook everything from scratch daily.
I was fortunate to be able to speak with two of the chefs and to sample some of the fantastic dishes they had prepared. It was clear that the work they are doing is having a real and positive impact for learning about and enjoying good nutrition. Colourful fresh seasonal foods were laid out for pupils to help themselves to – yellow carrots, tomatoes and dressed chickpeas were on offer on my visit. I was not only impressed to see young children reach for healthy seconds, but also to see them self-regulate their portion sizes and share food. By making lunchtimes more sociable, it encouraged a sense of community and cultivated important social bonds.
The program reminded me of the work I did as part of the Hospital Food Review which was set up to look at the way food is provided in hospitals and to make recommendations for improvement. I have long been passionate about food and nutrition, and I was pleased to work with pioneers in this space, visiting hospitals around the country and speaking with staff and patients about their experiences, and evaluating the food that was on offer. Some of these same pioneers are now part of the Chefs in Schools team.
We all know that a balanced and healthy diet helps to maintain energy levels and strengthen immune systems, which is especially essential for those recovering from illness or invasive treatment, yet for too long hospital food has often been found lacking. To tackle this, the review established new national standards to improve hospital food, including eight recommendations to improve staff and patient health and wellbeing through hospital food - spanning catering staff, nutrition and hydration, food safety, facilities, technology, standards, sustainability, and a fit for the future approach. It was an eye-opening experience, and it was clear there was a lot of work to do to make meaningful and lasting improvements to food standards.
We can make great strides towards improving the nutritional quality of food provided in schools and public spaces throughout the country, and my time spent with the Chefs in Schools demonstrated how it is possible. I look forward to seeing the positive impacts of these initiatives in the years to come as we continue to have conversations around food and innovations in the industry.
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