Holland Park Cafe commits to healthier catering

Local eatery is latest place to be given award

A café that has changed its menu to include more fruit and vegetables and reduce fat, salt and sugar has been recognised for its commitment to healthier eating.

The Holland Park Café, in Kensington's Holland Park, was recently awarded the Healthier Catering Commitment (HCC) by Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.  This follows work by the café's manager and staff with local NHS dieticians and Environmental Health Officers, designed to give more choice to customers and help them make better informed choices about what to choose from the menu.

The result is more fruit prominently displayed, children's lunch boxes, less salt, fat and sugar used in preparation and tap water on request.

Café manager, Ade Phillips (pictured right) said: "The commitment was easy to implement and customers appreciate having healthier choices". 

Ade has also noticed customers are requesting more salads and healthier spreads on sandwiches. "The head office is really excited about it" he added.

The HCC is running across London. To achieve the HCC, food businesses need to meet at least eight of 24 criteria to improve the nutrition of their food - by reducing fat, salt and sugar and promoting fresh food.

Ali Ginn, the programme dietitian, said:

"Cafés and fast food restaurants appreciate the scheme as they can give better choices to their customers and changes do not usually cost anything. There are lots of fast food outlets with the award. But it's great to see a park café making changes, complementing the healthy lifestyle parks promote."

Councillor Tim Ahern, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea's Cabinet Member for Environmental Health, said:

"Congratulations to the Holland Park Café on this award.  Customers appreciate a good choice and the healthier those choices can be the better.

"I am very pleased that the borough's Environmental Health Officers have been able to work so closely with their NHS colleagues and the café staff to achieve this recognition."

Click here for more information on the Healthy Catering Commitment.

For local information or to sign up contact Central London Community Healthcare dietetics team call 020 7313 3024.