News

LACA chair of events and business director Neil Porter will open the National Autumn Seminar by welcoming attendees, providing a LACA update and setting the aims of the day. Chair of LACA Judith Gregory will update LACA members on the organisation’s strategy and focus for the coming year.

As chair of the school food people, Judith will update members on the ongoing Levelling Up School Food campaign that asks the Government for fairer free school meals funding. LACA believes free school meals should be at least £3 (index linked) as well as being ringfenced.

Nigel Argyle will give members an update of what caterers up and down the country have been up to during National School Meals Week (11-15th November). Lee Petar from Menara Advisors will be giving his usual political update to attendees.

The seminar will also feature case studies from LACA 2024 Award for Excellence winners Local Food Links (Business of the Year Award) and Cardiff Council (The Nan Berger Memorial Award).

Public Sector Catering editor David Foad will interview the 2024 LACA School Chef of the Year winner Jennifer Brown. Her winning dishes were ‘Easy like Monday mornay’ (baked pollock with cheese sauce in a potato and spinach case), followed by a dessert of rhubarb and custard meringue tart with raspberry coulis.

LACA has conducted some research that will give members a benchmark for how the school meals sector is currently constructed, particularly in relation to in-house, local authority and outsourced provision. The results will be shared by Neil Porter, Andrew Archer and Rebecca Saunders.

The seminar will kick-off at 9am and finish at 13.25 with closing remarks. To book, visit: www.laca.co.uk/events/laca-national-seminar.