The debate on school meals continues
Not all of our schools serve poor-quality meals that only technically comply with the Government's nutritional guidelines (Caterer, past three weeks, News and Letters pages).
Having been a catering manager in a state secondary school for the past 10 years, and also a part-time lecturer in hospitality management at Thames Valley University, I long ago formed the opinion that it is not possible to make an ethical profit out of school meals.
Herein lies the problem. Catering contractors are businesses that have a duty towards stockholders to make a profit.
The management of the school in which I work took a view, more than nine years ago, that school meals should be a service to the pupils and staff, and not a money-making exercise. I am asked to cover costs, not make a profit, and therefore have a reasonable amount of money to spend on good-quality, fresh ingredients, which are then home-cooked.
Until the governing bodies of schools, local authorities and ultimately the Government change their ethos on the provision of school meals, views exemplified by Initial Catering (Caterer, 13 March, page 8) concerning children's reluctance to eat anything other than convenience or fast food will be taken as the truth, and our children will continue to be given the kind of meals so rightly condemned in recent press articles.
Adele Fishman, Catering manager, Bushey Hall School, Watford, Hertfordshire
Ice hotel competition prize was a really cool holiday
I thought I would write and let you know what the Caterer competition prize that we won last year [a trip to Sweden's Ice hotel] was like. It was an amazing experience and one neither my wife nor I are likely to forget.
The structure itself was mind-blowing. Around every corner there was another wow factor - be it the ice chapel or the ice bar, or the 25 incredible ice sculptures which featured in each of the "ice suites".
We stayed one night in an ice suite, which was cold and uncomfortable - but at least we have the certificates to prove that we did it.
The following nights in the cabin were superb and, while it was -32°C outside, it was +25°C inside. And on one night the northern lights appeared, more than living up to expectations.
We went on a husky-sled ride through the forest and on a snow mobile trip to see reindeer, which we fed and harnessed and drove through the snow-covered hillside - a fantastic experience.
The ice water swimming was one excursion we failed to carry out but, at 30°C below, can you blame us?
Thank you again for this prize - it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
David Frost, Weston-super-Mare
Hilton's Harris is a loss we can ill afford
I can think of no one who will be a greater loss to our industry than Anthony Harris of Hilton International (Caterer, 13 March, page 6).
His absence will be felt by hundreds of colleagues and associates worldwide. I regret that there are so many young people whose careers he will never spark, owing to his premature passing.
Recently, Anthony agreed to be the first guest speaker in our "Leaders' Forum" for students at the London Hotel School. For these 150 students from 40 countries, just beginning their careers in hotels, Anthony lectured, joked, listened, asked questions, answered questions, posed for photos and shook hands. Those students will remember him for quite some time - and so will I.
Laurie Farr, Lecturer, London Hotel School
* Do you have any memories of Anthony Harris that you would like to share with us? Write and let us know. - Ed
Contract catering is finally getting the press it merits
It's great finally to see an article on a chef coming from a restaurant background who has gone into contract catering (Caterer, 6 February, page 26).
I left the restaurant industry, having trained in two Michelin-starred restaurants, to go into contract catering. I have seven chefs in my kitchen, all of them have worked or trained in Michelin restaurants. Ask them why they left and you'll get the same answer - long hours, no life (this is still the reason why young people don't want to go into the industry).
Where I am now, we cook very good food, we get good write-ups, we use the same suppliers as the big boys working in restaurants, so I don't understand why contract catering is constantly being looked down on. (Is it because we have a social life and we're not working 18 hours a day?)
D Bonno, By e-mail
Putting the readers in the picture
While the insights into chefs' lives and careers are very interesting, do we really need a full-page photograph of them, followed by a half-page photograph of the same person on the following page (Caterer, 20 March, pages 26-29)?
Please don't let an excellent publication degenerate into a teenage-style comic, with pin-up pages to pull out and keep.
This is not just sour grapes because I'm ugly.
David Woolfall, The Key at Hamble, Southampton
* Dear David, It's called design. - Ed
Industry's best assets slip through the net
As professional sportsmen will testify, training, experience and reputation are not enough to ensure a good result. The atmosphere of the occasion, as well as attitude, play an important part.
The same can be said for our own industry. I applaud the efforts of many individuals, organisations and companies that have committed themselves to a regime of training in the belief that this alone will ensure their company's success.
However, it is often mechanical and can easily lead to paperwork training, where a natural and gifted individual's enthusiasm, interest and entrepreneurial spirit are stifled.
The Government is said to be planning special arrangements to fast-track schoolchildren with special needs, both above and below "the norm". As an industry, we should do the same by co-operating with each other more and referring job applicants who are "not suitable for our needs" to our colleagues.
More effort should be made not only to find gifted individuals, who may at first not seem to fit the "normal" mould, but to employ, train and encourage them as well. They may well turn out to be the saving grace of some struggling companies unable or unwilling to take brave decisions.
My greatest buzz is to see past members of staff succeeding on their own, fighting their own battles and making their own statements.
Edwin Cheeseman, Thieves Kitchen, by e-mail