Region’s answer to Jamie Oliver has award on menu

Bob Davies, who has worked as catering manager at Easingwold School for the past 10 years, has been hailed for revolutionising its dinner menu which is taken up by more than twice the national average of students every day.

His drive to improve standards of school food and the use of local suppliers and produce, has included writing many of the recipes for the county’s secondary schools, and has led to him being recognised as a national example of how to improve school dinners to help fight child obesity – seen by health experts as the single biggest health crisis facing North Yorkshire.

Now after being proclaimed public caterer of the year by BBC Radio 4’s Food and Farming Awards, he has been shortlisted as secondary school caterer of the year by Educatering Magazine for its Excellence Awards.

Coun Arthur Barker, North Yorkshire’s executive member for schools, said: “Bob is a true ambassador for the work we are doing here in North Yorkshire to make sure that the food we serve from school kitchens is fresh, cooked from scratch and locally sourced as much as possible.

“Bob has been at the forefront of developing our meals policy, ensuring that it not only meets the highest standards of nutrition, but is also adventurous and appealing and attractive to young people.

“We are delighted he has been shortlisted for yet another award but his national recognition is richly deserved.”

The award will go to a chef who has increased both the uptake and the nutritional value of meals in recent years.

Since Mr Davies has worked at Easingwold School, more than 70 per cent of students now eat a school meal every day.

He said: “I love this job, it’s the best I’ve ever had.

“I love cooking for youngsters because I like their honesty.

“You get instant feedback from the children – they tell it as it is and I have a good rapport with them.”

He will attend a prestigious dinner tonight at the Royal Garden Hotel in Kensington, London, where the winners will be announced.

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