2016 Blog – A shared experience: Tony and Lyndon

Food professional Tony Mulgrew:

Being part of ISMD is to help emphasise the importance of school meals on an international stage with the importance of how children can benefit from having school meal. It gives schools the chance to show case the work they are doing in education of the quality of using fresh local produce these are the reasons why we are part of this year’s ISMD2016.

It is so important for us to share best practice as it can inspire you and others to see inspirational and educational catering on an International level.

I have had the privilege of doing this for the last twelve months with Chef Lyndon McLeod from Sweden. With sharing best practice I have gain so much from my visit to Lyndon’s school in Sweden, I am able and more confident using a larger range of fresh fish on my school menu.

This year we have arranged another exchange visit including other chefs from four other schools across the UK, later this month.

We have also set up a Facebook page to help others show case or ask for support or help.

Goodfield International School Catering Forum

School Chef Lyndon McLeod:

ISMD is a chance to highlight school food that is served on a weekly basis all the school year. ISMD recognises the cooks and the children. But ISMD is a lot about the awareness of school food and its importance for all children around the world, children that are going to school hungry but given a school lunch to help them grow and learn at school. ISMD raises the awareness that all children would benefit from school meals, children in poverty, children in undeveloped and developed countries and the importance of a nutritional meal every day.

Sharing best practice internationally is so important for the cooks, learning new recipes, work methods, how to cook produce that benefits the environment and much more.

How to get food into the curriculum, teaching children about food, where it comes from, the importance of nutritional food and teaching respect for food and being more sustainable.

Sharing is also important for helping other countries to develop school food.

Visiting Tony in England I learnt a lot about procurement/tendering. The benefits of buying produce locally, not just for the quality of the product but for the local economy. We have to stop chasing the cheapest price and chase quality and sustainability.

Plus the importance of learning children to cook, a skill for life.