An independent day and boarding school for girls, 3-18, Nr Guildford and Godalming
In This Section
In This Section
Food and Nutrition
Our lessons are action-packed, with theory often focusing on the science of cooking: the “why does that work or fail?” approach being a key and fascinating element of the theory. If you have ever wondered why cakes might sink in the middle or why pastry might shrink when filling a tart tin or have sought the secrets to making that perfect Yorkshire Pudding, then Food and Nutrition really is the place to be!
Enjoying good food - and without guilt - is one of life’s great pleasures. Helping our students develop a love of food, a confidence in the kitchen and a thorough understanding of how to plan and create delicious, nutritious meals is at the very heart of our philosophy in Food and Nutrition. With the superb Culinary Arts Studio in the Art and Makerspace (images and video at the bottom of the page), we look forward to creating even more culinary delights and guiding our students on their food journeys.
Mr P Friend - Head of Department
email: philip.friend@stcatherines.info
Philip joined St Catherine's in 1998 to teach Mathematics. Outside school, his main passion is cooking - with a particular penchant for baking. Cooking on television on BBC1’s Best Home Cook was a dream come true, and reaching the final was the icing on the cake! In some of his spare time Philip runs his own cooking website and gives food-related advice on the radio. Philip is a keen allotmenteer, an avid reader of crime fiction and loves the theatre.
Mrs E Bader - Teacher
email: emma.bader@stcatherines.info
Emma has been Head of Food Preparation and Nutrition at Reigate Grammar School for the last 28 years before deciding to step down and teach part-time at St Catherine’s. She brings with her a wealth of experience and a huge passion for Food Science in particular. In 2023 she received the British Nutrition Foundation Award for outstanding GCSE results. Outside the classroom Emma is an enthusiastic golfer and in 2023 became the Surrey Foursomes Champion. She has a love of Border Collies and enjoys going on dog walking holidays in the UK.
Mrs J Barratt - Technician
email: joanne.barratt@stcatherines.info
Joanne has been at St Catherine’s since 2010. Her excellent overview of the practical sides of the schemes of work is invaluable for supporting the practical lessons and she offers invaluable input. She loves to travel, enjoys live comedy and enjoys growing fruit and vegetables on her allotment.
Food Provenance: Environmental impact and sustainability
- Food sources
- Food and Environment
- Sustainability
Food Processing and production
- Technological developments associated with better health and food production.
Principles of Food Safety
Glazed poached pear on a caramelised rough-puff with a fruit coulis reduction (U5)
Assessment:
Written examination (50%)
Non-Exam assessment (50%)
Non-Exam Assessment - this is worth 50% of the final GCSE grade.
The Non-Exam Assessment is made up of two distinct tasks:
1. The Food Investigation task – which is worth 15%
2. The Food Preparation task – which is worth 35% of the GCSE grade.
The tasks will allow the student to show their knowledge and understanding of nutrition, food science, food safety, food choice and food provenance. At the heart of the Non-Exam Assessment is the opportunity to showcase your practical cooking skills and your knowledge and understanding of ingredients, cooking and processes. Both projects must be completed in the final year of the GCSE course. A range of titles will be provided by AQA, both for the Food Investigation and the Food Preparation task. These titles will change every year.
Moderator Comments 2024: following very successful work by our GCSE students this year, with investigations into the applied science of biscuits (!) and extensive cooking based on seasonal restaurant food and dishes that represent festivals around the world:
“ There was very good correlation between the research findings and the investigation work.”
“There was evidence of excellent accuracy and precision for the skills demonstrated.”
“The attention to detail for the finish of the dishes was exemplary.”
“The moderator would like to congratulate the students and their teacher for the excellent sample of work presented for moderation.”
Moderator Comments 2023: The 2023 cohort of GCSE students rose superbly to the challenges of the NEA tasks, and we were delighted to receive a glowing moderator report. Highlights from the report include
“The quality of work was consistently impressive.”
“There was high level understanding of nutrition when analysing the final dishes”
“The centre's work was a pleasure to moderate - thank you.”
GCSE students making squid ink raviolo with homemade ricotta, wilted spinach and garlic-infused browned butter
www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes An excellent collection of online recipes https://www.tasteatlas.com/search An interactive map of the world and dishes typical of the region you choose
www.checkyourfood.com Find out more about an ingredient in terms of its nutritional value, its provenance and how to prepare and cook it.
General Reading:
The Flavour Thesaurus - Niki Segnit.
An exceptional, fascinating book that shows which ingredients work well together.
Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat - Samin Nosrat.
A great reference book to help understand four key elements of cooking in order to become a better cook – whatever your skill level.
The Science of Cooking – Dr Stuard Farrimond.
An in-depth but very readable analysis of the science that underlies cooking. An invaluable read for anyone who loves to cook, but an especially useful resource at GCSE.
The Science of Nutrition: Debunk the Diet Myths and Learn How to Eat Well for Health and Happiness - Rhiannon Lambert.
An excellent resource for GCSE food students as well as for anyone interested in how our food affect us.
Toast – Nigel Slater.
One of the UK’s finest cookery writers, this is a bitter-sweet account of Nigel Slater’s life since childhood.
Recipe Books:
Simple – Yotam Ottolenghi.
Recipes for delicious dishes and a showcase of simple, contemporary food.
How to Eat: The Pleasures and Principles of Good Food – Nigella Lawson.
Arguably one of Nigella’s best books, this is an invaluable resource for any kitchen. It is very much the sort of book you can grab off the shelf and dive into!
Mastering the Art of French Cooking – Julia Child.
A classic cookery book with recipes that stand up today.
Mediterranean Food – Elizabeth David.
Another true classic and a must for any foodie.
Delia Smith’s Christmas – Delia Smith.
A modern classic, with page after page of exciting festive recipes. In Mr Friend’s opinion, there is still no better Christmas cookery book than this.
Classic Mary Berry – Mary Berry.
A treasure trove of delicious recipes for the keen home cook, revisiting classic dishes, many with a contemporary twist.
Nadiya Bakes– Nadiya Hussain.
An enticing collection of delicious bakes for any occasion.
A Cook’s Book - Nigel Slater.
An addictively readable collection of exciting fuss-free recipes and food musings.
Thai Food – David Thompson.
A must for anyone who is eager to make excellent Thai food.
Mowgli Street Food – Nisha Katona.
Delicious, accessible Indian recipes from the fabulous Mowgli restaurant chain.
On the Sixth Form page here is information about the new Sixth Form Culinary Arts course. This course is run by Mr Friend - Head of Food & Nutrition - and is designed for girls with good cooking experience who are eager to take their cookery skills to the next level.
