HCLcatering

24/12/2024

It’s Christmas tomorrow! 🎄

As the year comes to a close, our CEO would like to take a moment to share some well wishes...

🌟 To our incredible kitchen staff: thank you for your dedication, creativity and tireless efforts in crafting exceptional meals. Your impact is felt every single day and we couldn’t achieve success without you.

🌟 To our valued HCL friends: thank you for trusting us to deliver nourishing, high-quality dishes that elevate your dining experience. We have more in store for the new year and we’re thrilled to have you join us on this adventurous journey.

Whether you’re celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah or simply spending time with loved ones, we wish you a peaceful break and a fantastic New Year! ✨

12/12/2024

We’re spreading the holiday cheer...🎄

This time, we brought it to Cockernhoe Primary School!

Christmas is all about love, giving and enjoying amazing food. That’s why our community support team is visiting schools to show pupils how to combine these festive values while keeping things budget-friendly.

Let’s take inspiration from Charlie and bake something special, like Apple Crumble Muffin to gift to your loved ones! 🍎✨

Want to try it for yourself? Comment below and we’ll send you our delicious Apple Crumble Muffin recipe! 🎅🧑‍🍳

10/12/2024

🎉 Celebrating Recruitment Success! 🎉

Our recruitment team is on a continuous mission to connect with incredible talent and support career opportunities. On 13th November 2024, Lisa, Ledi, and Dionne represented HCL at the 50+ Recruitment Day held at the St Albans Job Centre.

This event was a success! 🌟 We scheduled interviews for five promising candidates for our vacancies and we’re thrilled to announce that one outstanding individual has already been selected and is on their way to joining our team!

Our team will be attending even more job fairs in the coming year. If you’d like the chance to connect with our recruitment team, keep an eye out for updates in 2025!

In the meantime, if you would like to work for HCL, visit our vacancy portal today and discover your next role : https://www.hcl.co.uk/join-our-team

28/11/2024

This week, our Senior Leadership Team stepped into the training kitchens, connecting with staff and seeing firsthand the incredible impact of feeding children. They gained valuable insights to better support our teams - one plate at a time! 🍽️

21/11/2024

It's Sugar Awareness Week!

We are committed to supporting healthier food choices by offering meals low in added sugars.

Excessive sugar, particularly in drinks and sweets can contribute to health risks like obesity and diabetes in both children and adults.

We're proud to be part of a movement focused on balanced, nutritious options for all, helping to build lifelong healthy habits for the children.

Join us in raising awareness about sugar’s impact, small changes can make a big difference!

If you have not yet seen the nourishing dishes we are offering on our new menu, follow this link: https://buff.ly/48VimdD

Action on Sugar

12/11/2024

📣 We’re Celebrating National School Meals Week Tomorrow! 🎉🍽️

We’re thrilled to join National School Meals Week with a delicious, nutritious and fun lunch for all our pupils on the 13th of November! 🌟

🍽️ The Feel Good Great British Lunch is on the menu—a classic roast dinner with a superhero twist! 🦸‍♂️🦸‍♀️ Our theme encourages pupils to "unlock their superpowers" by enjoying their super veggies, each packed with nutrients to fuel energy, strength and focus for their daily adventures. 🥦🥕💪

Not only that, we’re excited for our CEO, John Want, to join Vicki Hislop our V.I.P guest from Bidfood to attend Belmont School —a platinum OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning). The school that has been chosen by the Mayor of London for a special Free School Meals case study. Together with the pupils, we'll be enjoying our ‘Feel Good British Lunch’ and celebrating the power of great school food.

P.S. We have an exciting surprise in store for the pupils at Belmont—stay tuned to find out what it is! 🎁

Let’s make this a memorable day, celebrating how great food can fuel bright minds and strong bodies. LACA Harrow Online Bidfood UK

25/10/2024

We are back with another series of HCL Staff Success!🌟

We are spotlighting Anne-Marie, a Contract Supervisor who’s been with HCL for over a decade, starting as an Assistant Cook! For Anne-Marie, HCL offers the flexibility to balance family life with a fulfilling career, all while supporting our mission to provide every child with healthy, nourishing meals. 🍎💼

"I love cooking and being able to work in a role that combines my passion with my commitment to helping children thrive, is a dream." – Anne-Marie

Discover more about her inspiring journey and how our training and career growth opportunities have helped her thrive.

👉 Read her full story on our blog: https://buff.ly/4eVQl85

We are back with another Staff Success story, spotlighting Anne-Marie Mantey, a Contract Supervisor at HCL.

18/10/2024

🌸 Menopause Awareness Day 🌸

At HCL, we’re committed to supporting well-being at every stage of life and today, on Menopause Awareness Day, we want to highlight the importance of creating a safe, supportive space for the many women at HCL who experience menopause.

Menopause can bring significant physical and emotional changes, but nourishing the body with the right foods can contribute in managing some symptoms and promoting overall well-being. 🌿

Here’s how a nutritious diet can help:
🥛 Calcium and Vitamin D to support bone health
🍊 Whole grains, fruits, and vegetables to boost energy and mood
🌰 Omega-3 fatty acids to promote heart health

We recognise that women are the heart of our workforce and community. Let’s continue to raise awareness and provide the care and support that all women deserve.

02/10/2024

🚨It’s been an eventful few days at HCL as our new CEO John Want has officially joined the team! 🚀

It’s only day two and John has already been spotted in one of our school kitchens with his sleeves rolled up and getting stuck in!

Watch this space as we track John’s journey as he immerses himself in all things HCL and school catering! 🥗🍎🥘



(Photo credit: John Want LinkedIn profile)

01/10/2024

Join us in celebrating Vegetarian Week!

We're committed to offering a diverse and inclusive menu that caters to all dietary preferences and lifestyles. Whether you're a dedicated vegetarian or simply looking to incorporate more plant-based meals into your diet, we've got something delicious for everyone to enjoy!

Head over to our blog to find out some of the vegetarian dishes we'll be introducing in our next menu: www.hcl.co.uk/post/vegetarian-week

27/09/2024

🌟 Supporting Every Child with Every Meal: Ensuring Safety and Inclusivity 🌟

We recently received this heart-warming message from a parent, and we’re proud to share it:

"Could I also take the opportunity to say thank you SO much for managing Jack's allergies in the way that you have done. Before, he had to take his own food and even milk, etc., into nursery, and he definitely felt excluded and different because of that. He now says that his favourite part of the school day is lunchtime. You made starting school a really joyous and positive experience for him."

At HCL, we believe no child should feel left out, especially at mealtimes. Our allergy management approach is designed to ensure that every pupil feels safe, included, and excited about lunchtime. 🌈

Your child’s well-being is our priority and we are dedicated to creating a nurturing and enjoyable dining experience for everyone. 🍽️

To read more about our Allergy Management System, follow this link: https://buff.ly/3N2rHX6

23/09/2024

🌈 Your Career, Your Journey – Just Like Sarah’s! 🌈

At HCL, we believe in giving you the tools and support you need to thrive. Just ask Sarah Melling, who started as a General Catering Assistant (GCA) and is now a Training Kitchen Manager in the Secondary Sector. 💪✨

“I have worked for HCL for 10 years. I started my journey working as a GCA in a Secondary School and then progressed to being the main cook. When the opportunity to become an assistant cook manager arose, I looked forward to the challenge.” — Sarah Melling

Sarah balanced family life and pursued her passion for cooking, training to become a Chef Manager and now a Trainer, where she inspires new colleagues every day. 🌟

“HCL has offered me so many opportunities to learn new skills and develop my career path… I was delighted to be able to share my knowledge and help others start their careers with HCL.” — Sarah Melling

Ready to start a new chapter in your career? Discover the opportunities waiting for you at HCL➡️ https://buff.ly/4bnnY0Y

18/09/2024

🚨 Exciting news! 🚨

We are delighted to announce the appointment of John Want as the new CEO of HCL, starting on 1st October 2024! 🎉

John brings extensive experience from the food industry and shares our passion for delivering high-quality services to schools. Under his leadership, we will continue to innovate and grow, while further strengthening relationships with our valued customers.

A big thank you to Ian Hamilton, who is retiring as CEO, for his incredible contribution over the past decade.

👉 For more information, check out our latest press release: https://buff.ly/3znDyLY

We are delighted to announce the appointment of John Want as the new CEO of HCL, effective from the 1st of October 2024. John joins us with a wealth of experience in the food sector including a strong background in sales, marketing, and business leadership. John is passionate about quality food and....

04/09/2024

🎉 The Wait is Over! 🍽️

Schools are back and so are we! We are excited to serve healthy meals that keep students energised and ready to learn! 🌟🥙

A warm welcome to our new partner schools:

St Catherine's School
Greenleas School
St. Philips CofE VA
Hazeldene School
Tottenhall Infant School
Starks Field Starkfield School
Lea Valley Academy

We can't wait to see the joy on your faces as we bring our tasty and nutritious meals to your schools! 😋🥑

16/08/2024

Our team at Farnham House has done it!! ✨

They have received a silver Herts Responsible Food Award! Hertfordshire County Council

We are delighted as this recognises us as a business that champions health and sustainability. We still offer the same incredible food as always, but we’ve made a few small changes including:

- 90% of our cold beverage range is either free from or low in sugar

- Light versions of sauces used in made-in-house products Help us congratulate our team in the comments!

Help us congratulate our team in the comments 👏

12/08/2024

🌱 Celebrate National Allotment Week with us! 🌱

At HCL, we're dedicated to providing the freshest, locally sourced produce in our school meals. We're excited to spotlight our commitment to sustainability and community support this National Allotment Week . Our Community Support Team continues to guide schools in cultivating their own fruit and vegetable gardens, fostering a love for healthy eating and environmental stewardship among pupils.

Growing your own produce is not only fun but also a fantastic educational activity. This August, we encourage parents to get involved with their kids in the garden. Here are some easy-to-grow suggestions:

🥕 Carrots
🥬 Lettuce
🌱 Radishes
🍅 Cherry Tomatoes
🥒 Cucumbers

We'd love to see your garden's progress! Share your photos with us and we will feature your growing journey on our Instagram and Facebook stories.

Let's cultivate a greener future together! 🌍💚

05/08/2024

👨‍🍳 Our training kitchen managers are the heart of our operations!

They ensure food safety and health protocols are strictly followed, imparting their valuable knowledge to our dedicated team.

Meet Ashley Lawrence from our Primary Sector: "Working for HCL has opened an array of opportunities. We are like one big family and being a training kitchen manager has allowed me to meet so many different people and help them on their new journey with HCL or further their careers within the company. It is rewarding to see how people learn and how it makes colleagues feel supported and part of our work family."

Want to join our work family? Visit our vacancy portal to see what roles we're recruiting for: https://buff.ly/4bnnY0Y

26/07/2024

🌟 Happy Summer Break to all! 🌟

As the academic year concludes, we bid farewell to our year 6 and year 11 pupils. Many of our staff have been touched by the thank you cards they have received, which has truly warmed our hearts! You will all be missed and we wish you the best of luck in your new school.

We have created wonderful moments shared over delicious meals throughout the year with teachers and pupils and it is now time to enjoy your well-deserved time off!

Our passionate kitchen staff will also be taking a break to recharge, preparing to welcome everyone back in September. We are excited to see everyone for the new academic year. A special shout-out to the new year 7's who will be joining us—we can't wait to meet you and introduce you to the best school meals around. Get ready for a culinary journey you won't forget!