Our experienced team of catering staff care about giving pupils a balanced, nutritious diet. They understand children’s palates and enjoy finding new recipes to fit into their seasonal menus.
Guests can choose from a wide selection of food at every mealtime, most of which is sourced locally. From breakfast, through to lunch, match teas, House snacks and then dinner, there’s always lots of choice. There is a sandwich bar, a pasta bar, a daily choice of different hot dishes, a salad bar, a daily hot vegetarian dish – the list goes on and on. Every effort is made to provide something for everyone.
View a typical breakfast, dinner and supper menu: Sample Menu
We are mindful of guests with different dietary requirements and are happy to accommodate their needs. We ask our group organisers to provide specific dietary requirement information 4 weeks in advance of arrival and to introduce the guest to our team at their first visit to the Barraclough Dining Hall. With this knowledge they are personally looked after, without any undue ‘fuss’ – just as they would be at home.
Guests eat together in the Barraclough Dining Hall, with an allocated dining schedule to make the service as quick as possible.
The Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rated Oakham’s food as ‘outstanding’.
While it is nice to receive such high praise, the team prefer to get feedback from the pupils themselves. An empty plate, healthy-looking children and a happy ‘buzz’ in the Barraclough, is what really matters to them.
Liz Mapletoft
Liz Mapletoft
Catering Manager
“I have worked in the catering department for many years, I was trained by Gardner Merchant who were contract caterers, as an assistant manager then deputy manager before becoming Catering Manager.
Our aim here at Oakham is to ensure all our guests are well-nourished and that we provide them with a well-balanced diet of home-cooked dishes with plenty of choice. We take all dietary requirements very seriously and always do our best to fulfil all of our guests’ needs and get to know those with allergy requirements.
We feel that it is of utmost importance to source our food as locally as possible and we provide fresh fruit and vegetables as well as fresh meat and fish daily. Our menus reflect seasonal produce and great care is taken to ensure there is always plenty of choice.
The catering team here at Oakham are passionate about delivering excellent food and service to all the pupils year in and year out and always strive to maintain the high standards that Oakham School is renowned for.”
