Through this new series, we will shine a spotlight on each Public Sector Catering Award winner in turn, taking a closer look at their achievements, the challenges they have overcome and the impact they continue to make within their organisations and communities.
Over the past year, the team has delivered one of the most ambitious catering transformations in the social care sector - strengthening nutrition and hydration, improving safety, modernising the dining environment, and embedding resident choice at the heart of decision-making.
The transformation began with a full review of resident preferences, including dining surveys, tasting groups, mealtime observation and consultation with families. Every recipe can be delivered consistently across different kitchens, chefs, and shift patterns.
The entire system was developed internally, supported by artificial intelligence (AI) for formatting, design clarity and image generation, reducing administrative workload and enabling the team to focus on residents, not paperwork.
A major innovation this year was the introduction of digital menu boards across dining rooms. The hospitality and IT teams worked together to create dementia-friendly, high-contrast digital displays that show clear, accurate AI-generated images of the exact dishes served.
The Caring With Food initiative created a holistic approach to supporting nutrition, hydration and wellbeing. Care homes reported improved hydration, better breakfast uptake, and increased resident engagement with food-related activities.
Key improvements include a daily smoothie menu designed around wellbeing themes, healthier ingredient swaps to reduce salt, sugar and saturated fat and resident tasting sessions to guide dish development.
A major achievement this year was the rollout of comprehensive IDDSI (International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative) training delivered across catering, hospitality and care teams. The training significantly improved safety for residents with swallowing difficulties, the appearance and dignity of texture-modified meals as well as staff confidence when preparing or serving IDDSI levels.
Country Court Used Asset Exchange (UAE), which enables homes to redistribute surplus catering and dining assets, improving dining room quality while reducing environmental impact. To date, the UAE has saved £15,791 in avoided purchasing, diverted reusable items from landfill, allowed rapid dining room improvements without capital spend and strengthened collaboration between homes.
Examples of catering improvements include standardised allergen-mapped recipe cards, hydration improvements through smoothies and fruit stations, enhanced breakfast and supper menus supporting better intake, more plant-forward and culturally diverse dishes and menu brochures for families to review with residents.
Families consistently praise food quality, presentation and dining experience across Country Court Homes. Lynne, daughter of a resident, said: “The meals are nutritious and look appetising and care and dignity is always shown.”
With modernised menus, digital innovation, enhanced hydration, IDDSI excellence, IPC improvements and strong positive feedback from residents, families and inspectors, the team is a highly deserving winner of the 2026 Care Catering Award.
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