For 28 years Independent Catering has been at the forefront of providing fresh and fabulous food to schools.

In 1996 Andrew Saunders founded the company with a vision of creating a service based on great food using locally sourced ingredients and suppliers. The company still led by Andrew, with a team of passionate skilled chefs, now provides a service to over 100 schools in Kent, Surrey and Sussex cooking tens of thousands of meals a day!

We are proud of our environmental and sustainable approach to our menus and food standards which underpins our commitment to fresh, seasonal and locally grown produce. Our commitment to using the best food that Kent, Sussex and the UK can offer lies at the heart of our approach and always has done!

Our core values ensure pupils and school staff receive healthy and innovative menus, served with a smile by our wonderful dedicated team of catering staff.

Our approach is simple! Great food prepared on site delivering fantastic value for money for parents.

The long term partnerships we have with our schools are testimony to our food and service ethos.

‘As part of my role, I see EVERY type of school across the whole country and am exposed to every school catering organisation that you can imagine and it is very rare that when I visit a school I am genuinely gob-smacked with the quality of the food offering, which I was at Dulverton primary. The food selection that was being served to pupils at Dulverton was some of the best I have seen, the salad bar was bursting with nutrition, with a wide variety rivalling a five-star hotel and the dessert station was so attractive and colourful that it was impossible for pupils not to want to divulge in everything on it!’

Paul Evans MSc, RNutr  – Operations Director, School Health UK

‘MGGS awarded Independent their catering contract from 1 April 2025. During the presentations the students were impressed with the simple but popular range of food on offer and the clear pricing, with nothing being above the FSM price of £2.70. The students liked the presentation from the chef who seemed to be on their wavelength! The switching process went smoothly and the students seem to be very happy as takings have increased!’

Anne Swift – School Business Manager – Maidstone Grammar School for Girls

‘We are delighted with the excellent service provided by Independent Catering. The quality of the food is consistently top notch, with a wide variety of great-tasting meals that our learners genuinely enjoy. Their menus are thoughtfully planned and tailored to meet the diverse needs of our learners, ensuring there is always something appealing and appropriate for everyone. One aspect we particularly value is their commitment to promoting healthy eating and introducing learners to new foods and cultures. Initiatives such as the Vegetable of the Month help encourage learners to try new produce, while themed focus days celebrating different countries and cuisines provide exciting opportunities to explore foods from around the world.
 
Communication with Independent Catering is always effective, friendly and highly professional. Paul, Allan and the team are approachable, responsive and keen to work collaboratively with us. They actively listen to feedback from the school community and genuinely strive to get things right for our learners, adapting menus and approaches where needed.
 
Independent Catering feels like a true partner rather than simply a service provider. Their willingness to work with us, understand our learners’ needs and continually improve their offer makes them an invaluable part of our school community.’

Shelley Campbell – Head Teacher – Rivermead School

‘The tender process was seamless from start to finish. Once the contract was awarded by the governing body, we met with representatives from Independent Catering and agreed the mobilisation process. This included a much improved lunch service for the children. They are getting a fantastic restaurant like dining experience with table cloths, cutlery, bread baskets and water jugs set up on the tables. The children love that they are more independent and can help themselves. There is a real excitement in the dinner hall during lunchtimes. We were also provided with a new salad bar which is colourful and easier for children to access. The choices there are always fresh and staff love it too. There was also a huge improvement in choices of dessert offer. The older children can help themselves to a daily dessert, jelly, fresh fruit, cheese biscuits etc. and the younger ones get help with serving.
The menu choice is fantastic and locally sourced. Our numbers have increased since Independent Catering took over. In general, children and staff love the choices that they offer. The special theme days are always full of excitement and the Catering team take real pride in everything that they produce. I cannot recommend them enough and I’m really happy the children here are getting such a great quality and lovely tasting meals.’

Great Chart Primary School

Address
Independent Catering Management Limited
125a St. Johns Hill
Sevenoaks
Kent TN13 3PE

Telephone
01732 746123

Email
info@independentcatering.co.uk