Eating The Rainbow Workshops Shape the Latest Healthcare Chefs’ Knowledge Publication
In partnership with NHS catering experts, the Chefs’ Forum was excited to announce a nationwide series of workshops designed to add value to the much-anticipated second edition of The Healthcare Chefs’ Knowledge, which was published last year to inform healthcare chefs and stakeholders on the positive progress made since the NHS Hospital Food Review was published in 2020.
Phil Shelley, National Lead for Food (NZC) at NHS England, said:
“The Healthcare Chefs’ Knowledge 2: Eating The Rainbow will encompass everything healthcare chefs and stakeholders need to understand about contemporary hospital food practices and the positive changes being implemented, with a particular emphasis on sustainability and the creation of healthy, nutritious menus. It will be another invaluable resource for chefs and caterers to explore and learn from. We are extremely excited to collaborate with The Chefs’ Forum team to engage our chefs and stakeholders, showcase their outstanding work, and collectively produce something immensely beneficial for everyone working in hospital kitchens.”
This book will be an essential resource for NHS chefs. It spotlights 100 carbon-friendly recipes that cater to patient health and environmental sustainability, highlights nutrients and their health benefits, and recommends how they can be used to improve and fortify hospital menus.
Max Kindred, Net Zero Senior Insight Manager, Soft FM at NHS England, added:
“These workshops are an excellent way for the whole of the NHS food value chain to come together and contribute to shaping the book and the national approach to net zero based on what is happening on the ground and what teams think is achievable over the next 5 years. There is learning from all sides and new collaboration shoots between groups who mightn’t meet otherwise. We hope everybody who attends takes at least one thing away that they can implement in their Trust, hospital, catering company and food suppliers to make the NHS food offering more sustainable and, consequently, almost always more resilient and cost-efficient.
In the centre, it is key for us to hear from the system about what they are doing and what barriers are in place so we can facilitate sustainable change. These sessions will highlight potential targets or information that trusts would find valuable and that we, as a single NHS, must try and deliver to combat the climate crises we collectively face.”
In a unique approach, five regional workshops—organised by The Chefs’ Forum—will take place in top culinary colleges across England, inviting chef students to participate directly in the research and recipe development process. From the South West’s Food Works SW to London’s University of West London, these sessions gathered NHS chefs, catering managers, dietitians, and student chefs to collaborate on sustainable menu design, explore carbon reduction techniques, and develop recipes that set new standards in hospital catering.
Supporting The Chefs’ Forum in delivering the series of workshops is Andrea Zick, PhD researcher at the UK Food Systems Centre for Doctoral Training, she said:
“I am honoured to have facilitated the first of five NHS England workshops, deepening my understanding of the systemic change required in large organisations like the NHS. Achieving the ambitious goals of the NHS Hospital Food Review demands a systems-thinking approach – one that aligns with my experience in systems change facilitation through the School of Systems Change.
This perspective reinforces the need for structured reflection and collaboration among stakeholders, ensuring that each menu cycle not only meets immediate demands but also drives long-term improvement in NHS food service.”
In emphasising the importance of adding dietetic expertise to healthcare menu design, Elise Kelly, Specialist Foodservice Dietician at ISS, said:
“Today’s workshop, held at the University of West London, was a great chance to collaborate with key roles, like chefs, catering managers and suppliers, and advocate for the importance of nutrition and using dietetic expertise to ensure we’re supporting patients’ recovery. It highlighted how we need to work together to strike that balance of meeting different patient’s needs and running an environmentally and economically sustainable food service.”
This collaboration supports the NHS’s environmental goals and offers healthcare chefs a valuable educational experience. In these interactive sessions, chef students learn about sustainable practices, recipe reformulation, and the role of nutrition in healthcare while contributing to a real-world project with a national impact.
“This initiative was about bringing together the best minds in catering – experienced NHS chefs, caterers, and sustainability strategy leads—to create meals that met the needs of patients and the planet,” concluded Publisher and Project Coordinator, Catherine Farinha. “By involving colleges and students, we not only build the future of healthcare food but also inspire the next generation of chefs to lead with sustainability.”
Thank you to Michael Coaker and the team at University of West London for hosting and creating a wonderful rainbow, sustainable lunch for the delegates to enjoy:
- Winter vegetable salad with beetroot dressing, hazelnuts and goats curd
- Green bean salad with white balsamic miso
- Seared mackerel with beetroot, horseradish and watercress
- Sweet chilli chicken with garlic, lemon and coriander, fragrant rice and kale
Dessert
- Gluten-free apple and ginger crumble
- Fruit kebabs
For more information on the exciting new book, its launch at Healthcare Catering Live on the 9th September at the NEC and how to get involved in forthcoming Carbon and Sustainability workshops across the UK, as a Healthcare foodservice or equipment supplier, Sustainability Lead, Kitchen Manager, Dietitian or Chef, please email catherine@redcherry.uk.com