Worthing-based catering experts, Gary and Anna Hardley, are set to launch the UK’s first ‘Plant Based School Kitchens’ in partnership with Our Lady of Sion School, marking its Founders Day celebration on 20th January 2022.
The Plant Based School Kitchens is a new enterprise from the founders behind Coeliac Society-approved ‘Vegan Street Food Company’ that is set to challenge the perception of school dinner catering across the whole country. After sampling the highly nutritious, plant-based menu backed by the Vegan Society, the teaching staff at Our Lady of Sion School were impressed with the presentation and flavours of the healthy dishes, seeking a partnership to ensure the school offered a new dining alternative for students.
Gary Hardley of Plant Based School Kitchens explains: “With governments internationally encouraging a lower consumption of meat and an eco-friendlier way of growing and sourcing seasonal ingredients, there is a large demand to bring the increasingly-popular plant-based diet into schools and other mainstream establishments. Ethical eating and farming are vital to the longevity of the planet and feeding children in schools has too often been about profit rather than nutrition. There is a growing body of evidence that a plant-based diet is one of the healthiest for children to grow up on, aiding academic performance through the provision of nutrient-rich meals. As such, it is the mission of our dedicated team of professional chefs and nutritionists to see a plant based, gluten free kitchen in every school. Furthermore, we are working closely with the local council in a combined effort to ensure a minimum carbon footprint and low food wastage is a top priority of this project.
“We are delighted to launch the first of our UK Plant Based School Kitchen operations at Sion’s Founders Day celebration because the school promotes ethics and consideration for people, animals and the planet – all values we are jointly aligned in championing.”
On the school lunch menu are generously-sized dishes, providing students with the choice from two different hot meals plus a cold lunchbox option; dishes include Toad in the Hole with roasted potatoes, carrots and swede; Teriyaki Broccoli Tofu with Rice Noodles or BBQ Jackfruit Jackets with Salad.
Steven Jeffery, Headteacher of Our Lady of Sion School adds: “As I considered the future of hot food for Sion, I was keen to find something exciting, attractive…and good for our consumers and the planet.”
January 20th annually recognises Founders Day at Our Lady of Sion School, celebrating the inception of the Sisters of Sion dating back to 1842 by Theodore Rattisbonne whose work embodied the school’s motto today of ‘Consideration Always.’
This is the first partnership of Plant Based School Kitchens’ UK roll-out of vegan school lunch operations across the UK
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