“Boarders are provided with good quality food. Menus reflect healthy options and special diet requirements. Boarders have ample opportunities to obtain snacks and drinks in between meals and routinely liaise with the Chef.”

ofsted boarding inspection 2010

The refectory is an important place where boarding students and staff socialise as well as take their meals. Refectory staff make cakes for birthdays and also organise periodic barbecues. Recent international food evenings have included Nigerian and Thai events.

At the beginning of each year boarders fill in a catering questionnaire to establish likes and dislikes. The prospect of a full English breakfast has been known to get even the least keen of students out of bed and the cakes are always popular. Although the emphasis is on good home cooked, locally sourced English food, curries, stir fries, pasta and rice also feature very regularly. All of our food is freshly prepared on the premises and we have not served chips once in 27 years! The College uses fairtrade foods wherever possible. There is always a vegetarian option and the experienced chefs also try to add as much variety as possible to the diets of any students with particular requirements such as Coeliac, Vegan or low fat.

There are small student kitchens for the preparation of drinks and snacks. These kitchens are stocked with snacks and fruit and replenished daily.

At RIC catering is all provided by our in house team, not contracted out to external providers as is common in schools.