CUCINA WINS AN ACADEMY SCALP

4th May 2007, 10:31am

Contract operator Cucina is confident of success after being brought in to turnround a failing operation at one of the Government's new Academies, Harefield in Uxbridge, Middlesex focusing on sport, health and well-being.

The Academy's Dr Phil Bassill said: "Our catering operation was losing money with a significant number of students not choosing to eat at The Academy restaurant. I am certain this will change with Cucina's presentation providing the 'wow' factor. It is obvious the children will benefit from healthy, well-prepared, exciting food."

Veteran caterer Steve Quinn, Cucina founder whose experience has included hotel groups Rank, Thistle and Hilton as well as contract catering firms Sodexho and Compass, said: "We believe passionately that food has a vital role in our well-being and are confident that our menus will be wholeheartedly embraced. We are also pleased that good fresh food can increase student numbers eating healthily, especially with the new food based standards."

Cucina had just three weeks over the Christmas break to prepare new menus for the 600 students aged 11-18 and the 100 staff and will spend fiveterms in the old kitchens before moving to state-of-the-art new facilities when £30 million building work is completed in September 2008

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