A bit about the school

OK so we are a contract caterer with many units but I'm lucky enough to head chef at a state run boarding school. We cater for around 90 students and staff 5 times a day! Now you're probably thinking as its boarding I've got an amazing budget? No!! Its good yes but amazing?? I get just over £4 per student per day, sounds a lot but when you add up the five times a day we feed them then cost in all the extras ( drinks fruit, all the little jars of jam and loaves of bread that go in the common rooms ). Its not a lot. Plus the fact the boys are 11 to 18 so always hungry! I can't remember the last time I made pizza and didn't have to make enough for seconds. When I first got there I couldn't believe how much convenience food was being lobbed at them, frozen battered fish, chocolate whip!! So we started to make our own food our way. I'm not going to lie it hasn't been the smoothest of rides, my biggest battle was getting the staff to plate properly and in every kitchen there's the dubious chef that doesn't think normal bargain bin plain flour will work for making our own bread and pasta, but here we are 18 months later making literally anything we can. 

It just takes a bit of effort and creative license!