In this article Jo Makosinski interviews Pete Ttofis of Tops Day Nurseries, winner of the National nmt Nursery Award for Nursery Chef of the Year to find out what the group is doing to transform nutrition in early years

 

A year ago Pete Ttofis, catering manager at Tops Day Nurseries, made waves in the education sector when he announced he was sourcing venison from the South Downs National Park to put on the menu across the early years group’s 33 settings.

A bold move, the decision is evidence of his forward-thinking approach to environmental sustainability and, most importantly, improved nutrition for our youngest learners.

It is this thinking outside the box attitude that won him the title of Nursery Chef of the Year at the 2024 National nmt Nursery Awards, held in London in November.

In an interview with Education Property editor, Jo Makosinski, following his win, he explains: “I joined Tops Day Nurseries in 2020 and I had always understood food and the importance of using good produce.

Difficult questions

“I just couldn’t understand why children did not have access to that.

“We need to be having uncomfortable conversations, and we need to challenge the status quo.”

Ttofis’ career in catering began when he was 16.

After completing a specialised chef course at Bournemouth and Poole College, he went to work for Boodles gentleman’s club in London where he built a solid foundation for progressing in the industry.

After several years working in top restaurants in the capital, he wanted to move back to the South West where he was raised and took on a chef position at the multi-award-winning Chewton Glen Hotel in the New Forest.

From there he worked in other fine dining establishments and at the age of 26 had won two AA rosettes.

“The industry really swallowed me up,” he says.

“I did nothing outside of that. My life revolved around food, and I was happy it did that.

“I worked 16-hour days, five days a week, for 20 years, dedicating a good portion of my life to food and that was a wonderful journey.”

A change of pace

But, when he was working as head chef at The Museum Inn in Dorset, the world was rocked by the COVID-19 pandemic and the restaurant industry ceased almost overnight.

“We were shut for three months and I spent that time at home,” he recalls.

“For the first couple of weeks I was ill, not with COVID, but I think for the first time I had stopped and I had no idea what that was like.

“It was bizarre and I lost direction.

“But in those three months I spent time with my young son and that was incredible.

“When lockdown was relaxed I went back to The Museum Inn, but I found I had lost that drive to be there and I didn’t have that same passion.

“You can’t have that in a kitchen. I was doing a disservice to my team.”

As he began to reevaluate his career, he applied for a role at Tops Day Nurseries, meeting Diane Wycherley, chief operating officer. 

Taking steps

“Diane explained where food was in early years and where they wanted it to go; showing huge trust and belief in me.

“That really resonated with me. Good food is not all about Michelin stars and scallops and caviar. Fundamentally it’s about good produce.

“It was a big step to take, but if I was really going to be able to make a difference and give back, then who better to give it back to than children?”

Across the UK, educational establishments are routinely giving children produce which is high in sugar and fats and this has been scientifically proven to impact on concentration levels, behaviour, and overall health and wellbeing.

“What are we gaining by feeding children processed foods full of sugar when we can change that?” Ttofis said.

“Food is the most-natural thing in the world. We have been producing food for thousands of years and we have only got it wrong in the last 30 or 40 years.

“We now have an unhealthy relationship with food and I want to change that – and it’s better to start with children as we are building the foundations for later life.

“Many menus in schools and nurseries are full of sugar.

“Sugar is cheaper and more cost effective than fruit or natural yoghurt and it fills children up for a short period of time, but then they get an insulin crash.

“We know this and yet we don’t offer anything different.”

However, since joining Tops, Ttofis has worked to change this and is hoping his approach will filter through to other providers.

“There has to be uncomfortable conversations,” he said.

“I always ask people why they are still serving unhealthy options and they haven’t been able to give me a good reason.

“I’m not saying children cannot have treats – it builds memories that will stay with them throughout their lives – but we have to start thinking differently.”  

On the menu

Across Tops Day Nurseries’ 33 settings and eight kitchens, on an average day chefs provide three meals and a range of snacks.

Breakfast will offer options such as no-added-sugar cereals, wholemeal bread, boiled eggs, and natural yoghurt and fruit.

For mid-morning and afternoon snacks, fruit and vegetable crudites are on offer.

The main meal of the day includes dishes such as venison and orzo Mediterranean bake, which is packed with tomatoes and mozzarella and served with sourdough bread.

In the late afternoon a lighter meal is provided, such as a broccoli, sweet potato, and mascarpone quiche.

“They have a lot of food throughout the day,” said Ttofis.

“Children have smaller tummies and if we fill them up with carbs there will be an initial energy boost, but they will burn through that and will be left with low energy.

“Our meals are packed with good fats and the only sugar we use is naturally occurring in the food when produced such as bread.

“The body knows how to digest this effectively and, unlike processed sugars, it is not stored as fat.

“Due to being eco conscious company we choose to serve meat twice a week and no beef is used due to the carbon footprint beef produces; all meat is also Red Tractor and RSPCA endorsed.

“Our venison is sourced from the game park, where the animals have 3,500 acres to roam freely and they are not packed full of antibiotics. It is really important to us that the meat we source comes from an ethical source and is packed full of nutrients.”  

Within reach

While there may be a small cost increase when choosing more-sustainably-sourced produce, Ttofis believes it is in the reach of all education providers.

“Good food and good recipes are all out there and the information is there to create good, simple, healthy mels using wholefoods,” he said.

“You can still put cottage pie or Bolognese on the menu – children love those dishes – but we swap beef for locally-sourced venison and use fresh, seasonal ingredients.

“It is very easily done, and it should be done.

“Pardon the pun, but the proof is in the pudding.

“Children at Tops Day Nurseries are thriving and developing these incredible palettes and there is no added sugar or processed foods.

“The feedback from parents is also increasingly positive.

“We did get some resistance at the beginning, but you just have to take things slowly and create trust.

“You need to acknowledge that it will be different and a slow change, but that we will do it together.

“We had so many messages and enquiries from parents who said their children didn’t eat the same variety of foods at home so we produced recipe cards and recorded cook-alongs on YouTube.”

Now his work has been recognised in the National nmt Nursery Awards, Ttofis hopes other operators will follow suit.

“Winning Nursery Chef of the Year is an incredible honour,” he said. “It’s a privilege to be recognised for doing what I love, creating nutritious, sustainable, and exciting meals that fuel young minds and bodies.

“This award reflects not just my passion, but also the support of my incredible team and the smiles of the children we cook for everyday.

“It is an award for them too.”