Woodford House is preparing to pass the pans over to new head chef, Stephen Tindall, as it wishes current head chef of four years, Nick Haszard, a fond farewell.

‘Chef Nick’, as the staff and girls refer to him, was Head Chef at the One and Only Resort in Cape Town and even did a stint with Jamie Oliver before arriving at Woodford House and getting to know the state-integrated school’s 355 students – and their palates.

Haszard says cooking at a school and boarding house is very different to cooking at a restaurant, where your clientele changes daily.

“As many of the girls are boarders, coming to breakfast, lunch and dinner is their ‘family time’. So having a chat is essential, just like you would at any family mealtime.”

For that reason, Haszard knows all the girls by name. From Year 7 right through to Year 13, he always makes time for a little banter with each of them.

He says providing balanced, nutrient-dense meals is key.

“There’s a lot riding on me to get it right. After all, if our students aren’t eating healthy and delicious meals, how are they going to operate on all four cylinders in the classroom, sports field, or on the
stage?”

Haszard, who is employed by Orton’s – a premier catering business with a rich history in Hawke’s Bay – says it’s fitting that a family-owned business operating for over 40 years is tasked with caring for the girls of the Woodford House ‘family’.

“One family looking after another family is really special. For me, it’s like cooking for 355 daughters every day. Each has their specific likes and dislikes, or may have special dietary requirements. We run a pretty well-oiled machine looking after them all.”

Menus of late have featured stir-fries, slow-cooked brisket, casseroles, colourful salads with every meal and ‘sticky’, Woodford House’s famed morning and afternoon teas, which might include a warm
cinnamon scroll, cheese scone or melting moment.

New chef, ‘Chef Stephen’, will take over the reins in early June and is looking forward to the new challenge. Tindall comes to Woodford House from a string of reputable restaurants – he was Head Chef
at Craggy Range, worked in Melbourne for celebrity chef George Calombaris, and latterly, led the team at Te Awa Winery Restaurant.

“Working in hospitality, the hours can be pretty tough. So it’s great to be doing what I love, but working in a different environment. I think it’s going to be wonderful,” says Tindall.

Asked how his new clients might deal with his passion for Asian and Greek cuisine, he says, “I guess I’ll just need to keep aubergines and mushrooms off my shopping list! I’m hopeful I’ll get the girls to try
some new and exciting flavours at the same time.”

Woodford House Principal Julie Peterson says it’s extremely important that her school’s menus are both delicious and nutritious, as food plays an important role in the girls’ ability to learn and thrive.

“It is essential that our girls enjoy a well-balanced diet to nourish their bodies and minds.”

While running a tight ship is important in a school kitchen environment, occasionally there are leftovers, says Peterson. As with many other schools in the region with in-house catering, Woodford House are
regular callers to Nourished for Nil, Hawke’s Bay.

“Yesterday we had some food leftover from lunch, so an early call was made to the team at Nourished for Nil and they arrived shortly afterwards to pick up a container of macaroni cheese and salad.”

“It’s reassuring to know our wonderful chef’s talent is not going to waste, and we are able to share the tasty dishes he and the Orton team serves our students.”

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