Food Services Facts and FAQs

Facts about food services at UWCSEA

Service provider

Sodexo Singapore Pte. Ltd. is our food service partner for food services operations at College.

Operations supervision

Sodexo has a complete team structure including key positions as Food Services Manager, Head Chef, Assistant Manager etc. supported by other team members on different levels. Operations is further overseen by UWCSEA’s Operations Manager and Director of Operations and Facilities.

Number of meals

Approximately 7500 meals are produced on daily basis across our two campuses including various meal timings and the boarding house community.

Number of food services staff

Dover Campus: 40
East Campus: 30

Staff working schedule

Food services team members work in various shifts, starting as early as 5am and continuing until 8pm on a daily basis.

Food safety measures

Food safety is given the first priority and considering this, following measures are in place:
a) NEA 'A Grade' on hygiene standards
b) Three external audits performed in a year by a third party, Silliker.
c) Two internal audits are performed in a year by Sodexo’s QHSE Manager and findings shared with UWCSEA.
d) Food samples are stored for a cycle of seven (7) days respecting necessary standards.

Employee safety measure enforcement

Workplace safety is given high importance, and our objective is to have zero accidents and as few near misses as possible. There are structured initiatives in place to enforce this.

Certifications

NEA “ A Grading” Hygiene Certificate
ISO 9001: 2008
OHSAS : 18001 : 2007
Bizsafe

Staff training

Regular food services staff training sessions are conducted on a weekly basis on topics including:
a) Child and data protection
b) Food safety
c) Cross contamination
d) Good personal hygiene
e) Service etiquette
And many more topics.

Feedback

We welcome your comments and feedback. You can reach us at :
Sodexo at Dover Campus: sodexodover@uwcsea.edu.sg
Sodexo East Campus: sodexoeast@uwcsea.edu.sg
UWCSEA Operations Manager: aman.chauhan@uwcsea.edu.sg
UWCSEA Director of Operations and Facilities: simon.thomas@uwcsea.edu.sg

 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about food services at UWCSEA

Q1. What are the available food options for my child in cafeteria?

We have a wide variety of meals which are prepared fresh daily on site and are validated by qualified nutritionist. We have taken into consideration the diverse population of the College and have included suitable options in our offering to cater to various cultures and cuisines. Further details on the variety of offerings can be found in the UWCSEA Food Services handbook.

Q2. What are the health and nutritional standards followed by food services at UWCSEA?

We take health and nutrition very seriously. As a general rule we follow the Health Promotion Board’s guidelines and our service partner has been awarded the Healthy Caterer Award-Gold in 2012. Additionally, we follow our own guidelines for Health, Wellness and Nutrition, which include: no artificial food coloring; no MSG; low sodium; low sugar; and low fat preparations. Nutritional audits are carried out on the food offering by a qualified nutritionist on a termly basis. We also encourage students to make healthier choices, using an easy to understand 'Traffic Light System.' Further details on the Traffic Light System are available in the UWCSEA Food Services handbook.

Q3. How is food safety managed at UWCSEA?

The College's food service provider must operate with a NEA 'A Grade' hygiene certificate. We have a complete and robust QHSE (Quality, Health, Safety and Environment) plan which includes rigorous trainings, audits and standard operating procedures that ensure the highest standard of hygiene. Excellent processes to avoid cross contamination are in place such as sanitisation, color coded chopping boards, personal hygiene checks, proper storage temperature, thawing processes etc. Structured inspections are carried out by UWCSEA’s representative on a termly basis. Many other best practices of the food industry are practised on a regular basis where HACCP remains the reference point. Our current food services provider (Sodexo) is certified ISO 9001:2008 and OHSAS 18001:2007.

Q4. My child has a food allergy/restriction; how do I ensure which food is safe for him/her to eat?

Firstly, please schedule a meeting with College Clinic and make them aware of your child’s dietary restrictions. The College Clinic will help arrange a meeting with the campus Catering Manager so the onsite team is aware of the allergy/restriction. We are and allergen aware kitchen and identify these major allergens: Gluten, Dairy, Soya, Egg. We do not use nuts or shellfish. More detail on our service partner’s allergen management process can be found here in the UWCSEA Food Services handbook.

Q5. How does the payments for the food works in the canteen?

We encourage students to make use of the Campus Card System, however cash can also be used as mode of payment. We highly recommend using the Campus Card System, as it adds great efficiencies on various levels of operations.

Q6. My child forgot his lunch and he is not carrying any money, what will happen to my child?

It is our commitment that no child will go hungry. In such a situation, please have the Teacher/School secretary to contact food services team and we will make necessary arrangement for your child’s lunch.

Q7. My child will be in boarding house, how do you ensure his/her nutritional needs are met?

Our Nutrition and Food Platform Team has nutritionally analyzed the essential nutrient content of the foods that we provide to ensure that the college students have sufficient nutrient intake during and after school hours.

Q8. What is the Campus Card System?

The Campus Card System is a tool which allows online ordering for pre-order meals and also facilitates the cashless transactions in the canteen. More details on the Campus Card System can be found here: Campus Card System Information and FAQs  |  Campus Card System user guide

Q9. How does UWCSEA keep the food offering interesting?

UWCSEA constantly reviews the offering on a regular basis and has daily specials, weekly introductions and monthly promotions in place to reduce menu fatigue. We take regular feedback from different sections of the community and keep adjusting the food offer accordingly.

Q10. I am passionate about food and would like to contribute, whom should I approach?

Food and nutrition always remains an area of interest and we encourage participation from College community members. If you are interested, we would encourage you to join our food services tours, which are organised on a regular basis. They are a good platform for participating and engaging with the people directly responsible for UWCSEA's food provision. Please contact us if you are interested, and we will be happy to share the details with you.