Chartwells (view profile)

What culinary success looks like

How Chartwells helped spice up Bayview Glen’s food service provision

---

If you think you know picky eaters—try feeding 1,100 kids, as young as two and as old as 18. That’s what an independent school like Toronto’s Bayview Glen faces every day, and a partner like Chartwells has been pivotal in providing them with an effective food program.

“Food service is often an afterthought because it is part of the daily routine, but we really wanted our food program to be a differentiator. Innovation, healthy and balanced menu options, and student engagement are all things that we, as well as our community, expect,” says Bayview Glen’s Chief Financial Officer Scott Moore.

Bringing Chartwells on as a food service provider

Bringing Chartwells on as their food service provider was no easy task: a school this size, which goes from preschool to high school, contains many stakeholders. Parents need to be assured their children are being fed healthy and diverse options in sufficient portions.

Students are more engaged than ever in the sustainability of their meals, and mealtimes are still vital moments for socialization and fun. Bayview Glen had important requirements for a new food service provider, including an innovative approach, a nutritional education program, strong allergen management, and the business acumen to balance high inflation with a quality menu.

“We also believe that the food provider’s staff, chefs, and management should fully understand the school’s culture and future direction to have true success,” says Moore. “Chartwells prides themselves in doing just that and we are pleased they are feeding our community each day.”

“Changing food providers is a big change, and there is a great sense of satisfaction when our clients see the vision come to life through our detailed transition process,” says Chartwells Director of Business Development in Education, Shaun Baldaia. “We believe in a partnership model that makes sure each school we operate in is reaching its own unique set of goals. We understand that no two schools are alike, and take pride in providing a customized approach when establishing and reaching goals with each school we operate.”

How Chartwells helped transform Bayview Glen’s food service provision

Several factors enable Chartwells to manage such large clients. First, they have a dedicated team just for independent school clients, so they know industry best practices and each school’s needs inside and out. “The passion for what this group does day in, and day out is unmatched,” says Baldaia.

Also, the Chartwells Foodback Program (which enables customers to provide feedback and suggestions in real-time) forges an unprecedented connection between school administration and staff, parents, and students with the food service provider. This lets the school act as an intermediary when appropriate.

“This program works exceptionally well and has been positively received within our community as an opportunity to voice what is working well and what needs fine-tuning,” says Moore. “ Overall, the feedback has been very positive.”

Finally, the Chartwells team knows the resources required for undertaking a large transition—and they allocate them accordingly from their team, and not the school’s.

“Chartwells was exceptional in the sense that they assigned a dedicated project manager whose sole purpose was to manage the transition systematically and communicatively,” says Moore. “This meant that at the date of transition, we had addressed everything and were well prepared. It also meant that the transition did not require Bayview Glen to have to manage all the pieces, and the process was much less resource-intensive,” Moore says.

“Working for Chartwells and partnering with our school communities to learn about their needs, and subsequently offering them the perfect solutions that address their unique food and nutritional needs, brings together all the things I am passionate about: education, food, and building trusting relationships,” says Baldaia. “Seeing the smiling faces of students and staff participating in food activities hosted by the operations team and seeing our culinary offerings come to life is the best part.”

Chartwells (view profile)