She is usually the one preparing food fit for a Queen, but now a Hull school cook will be the one served with a right royal menu.
Russett Headland, senior cook at Newland St John, has been invited to the Buckingham Palace garden party on Wednesday 15 May.
It follows the school, in Beresford Avenue, west Hull, being recognised with Food for Life’s Gold Standard, becoming one of just 21 in the country to meet the classification.
Asked whether she was excited or nervous ahead of the big day, Russett admitted to being “a little bit of both”.
And there is one royal she is hoping to bump into ahead of all others.
Buckingham Palace.
“It is quite an honour to be chosen,” said Russett. “The Food For Life team put us forward.
“Getting the chance to meet the royals is nice. I am not sure who will be there. The Queen will be there.
“I am hoping to meet Prince Charles. He is the one I hope to meet – I am not sure why.
“I have picked out my outfit and have got one of those fascinators. It will be nice to have the chance to dress up.”
The Queen welcomes more than 30,000 guests every year to the gardens of Buckingham Palace or Palace of Holyroodhouse.
Each garden party sees 27,000 cups of tea, 20,000 sandwiches and 20,000 slices of cake consumed.
Russett’s invitation followed work by Hull Catering, the school and catering department, to ensure the school’s menu hit the “Gold Food for Life Served Here” standard.
It means a school must serve food that is healthy, ethical, uses lots of local ingredients and is animal and climate-friendly, including a minimum of 15 per cent organic and five per cent free-range food.
It means pupils choosing to eat a school meal is the norm and the school is actively involved in the life of a local farm and active in planning and growing organic food for the school.
It also means food isn’t served on “flight trays”, with at least 75 per cent of the menu being freshly prepared.
Newland St. John senior cook Russet Headland’s invitation for to Buckingham Palace garden party.
“Food For Life is to educate children on healthy eating,” said Russett.
“I think it is changing for children. They do seem to know about where their food comes from and where it is grown. There is more variety for them now, with the teaching of cooking too.”
Learn more about Food for Life here.
