Chefs and culinary leads from across RCH Care Homes have taken part in a dynamic food development day at the Brakes UK Innovation Centre, designed to enhance
knowledge, creativity, and confidence in meat preparation and menu planning.
The immersive session, hosted by Brakes Development Chef Danny Silcock, focused on deepening the teams’ understanding of meats — including sourcing, cuts, preparation methods and presentation. Alongside hands-on dish development, the group received an insightful presentation from Katie Staton, helping chefs explore the full journey of meat from farm to fork and how to make the most of every ingredient.
The experience was part of RCH’s wider investment in the development and progression of its culinary teams, ensuring residents receive not only nutritious and well-balanced meals, but food that is lovingly prepared, thoughtful, and full of flavour.
Oliver Clothier, RCH Executive Chef, said:
“Training days like this are so valuable. They don’t just improve technical skills – they spark ideas, build confidence and bring teams together. The feedback from everyone who attended has been incredibly positive, and we’re already seeing the benefits reflected in our menus. Our partnership with Brakes continues to help us raise the bar.”
Brakes UK is one of the UK’s leading foodservice suppliers, with a strong reputation for quality, sustainability, and innovation. Their dedicated Innovation Centre provides a space where chefs, nutritionists, and food professionals can collaborate, experiment and learn — using the latest techniques and insights to improve food in health and care settings, education, hospitality, and beyond.
The day is one of several ongoing initiatives at RCH Care Homes aimed at supporting continuous learning, encouraging culinary creativity, and ultimately delivering exceptional dining experiences for residents.
