Dining Services
TASIS Parent Association Leaders dish on our dining services
The Healthy Choice: Our Dining Service Provider
We know how important food is to growing bodies and brains. After an exhaustive search for a premier caterer for the school, we are pleased to announce our partnership with Thomas Franks of Oxfordshire, England.
Serving over 28,000 students daily, Thomas Franks is a high quality food service provider that hires local chefs to produce meals on site, sourcing the ingredients from local farmers and family businesses.
They will offer clean and nutritious meals to appeal to every taste – omnivores, pescatarians, and vegetarian and vegan options. In addition, they source from organic and sustainable growers wherever possible.
Thomas Franks recommends that younger children have their own menu, which is tailored to their nutritional needs.
They often set up a tasting table when the pupils first enter the dining hall to ensure the children can try small pots of new cuisine. This is a fun way to ensure that children have an opportunity to experiment with new tastes and flavors.
TASIS Portugal subscribes to the motto, “healthy body, healthy mind." Our daily schedule includes daily physical education, lots of athletic clubs, opportunities for free play, and to fuel those active bodies, the very best food service we can offer (with those healthy meals included in your tuition, of course).
To learn more about Thomas Franks and their operations, visit their website.
What do you like most about your position as head chef at TASIS Portugal?
I love the fact that I can create great food and see the children’s and teachers’ reactions to it, as well as interacting with a bunch of amazing people. So far, the feedback has been extremely good, and I’ll always try my best to keep it that way!
How do you modify the menu for the Early Learning Center?
The little ones are a bit pickier than the older kids, but that’s absolutely fine. From the cut of the meat, which I get from the supplier in bite size, to the flavors and sauces, I try to keep it simple for the ELC.
I’ll swap spaghetti with fusilli, or lettuce and tomato instead of an orange and olive salad (or some simple sweet corn, which they love). Those are two perfect examples of something different we try to make just for ELC students, so that they will be more likely to eat their full lunch.
Have you noticed any favorite entrées thus far?
The whole school loves beef Bolognese and chicken noodle soup (canja de galinha)
Are students allowed to have seconds?
Absolutely! And thirds! As time goes by, the number of students coming for 2ndand 3rd helpings has been increasing, and of course we never say no. They just love the food!