Great Food at Leeds Update, April 2021

Carbon Footprint Project

GFaL is currently working alongside Student Sustainability Architect, Amelia Cookson, developing a project that aims to calculate the carbon footprint of our menus.

This exciting but meticulous project uses a carbon footprint calculator developed by TUCO (The University Caterers Organisation) to give each food item a score.

Amelia has been holding online focus groups with staff and students to understand the best way to communicate this information to our customers to encourage positive purchasing decisions and help support the University’s climate principles.

Meal Plan Food Box

It’s that time of the year when many catered students would normally return home to see loved ones and family over the Easter break. As things are a bit different this year, The Refectory team continue to develop new ideas to provide the best experience for Meal Plan students.

This year, the Refectory team have put together a special Meal Plan food box for Meal Plan students to collect prior to the bank holiday weekend, as well as a selection of frozen meals and a chocolate Easter egg gift.

Bev Kenny, Head of Catering Services, said, “We know that some of the shops will close over the Easter break, so we have put together a box of provisions and treats for customers to enjoy over the bank holiday weekend.”

Hot drink giveaway

GFaL has joined up with the Residences Life team on their latest campaign a ‘Feel Good Hamper’. The hamper offers a selection of wellbeing goodies and treats including a free GFaL hot drink voucher.

Students can redeem their drink at either Hugo or the Edit Room, providing them with an opportunity to get to know the catering facilities more, enjoy a hot drink with friends as well as finding out about the benefits of the GFaL loyalty scheme.

The Refectory celebrates its international menus

The Refectory team was recently invited by LUU International Officer, Franks, to take part in the World Unite Festival alongside LUU. The international festival takes place every year for one week in March and invites the student community to come together for an online joining of cultural activities and taster sessions that celebrate the diverse global community of students at Leeds. Each day the Refectory chefs celebrated the event by sharing a ‘World Unite Dish of the Day’ shining the spotlight on two delicious main menu items from the Refectory menu. These dishes were then promoted to customers in-store and across the GFaL social media channels.

The Refectory team understand the importance food plays in our global community at Leeds whether it is serving a special dish on a special holiday, cooking demonstrations, or sharing chefs’ recipes online. They use this knowledge to ensure there is a variety of world cuisine on offer each day across all of their menus.