U Dine Residential Dining Award Winners!

The Great Food at Leeds (GFaL) team is proud to announce that we have been awarded the Residential Dining Award at the U Dine Awards 2024.

What are the U Dine Awards?

The U Dine Awards were established to celebrate excellence in the university hospitality sector.

The Residential Dining Award recognises the dedicated efforts and innovative approach to residential dining on campus. This includes having a fantastic range of food on offer and success in building a sense of campus community.

Why did we win?

Meal Plan, the residential dining program offered to catered residence at the University of Leeds, caters for approximately 450 students each year. Meal Plan is provided through the Refectory, a modern food court setting in the middle of campus, and Hugo, the vintage coffee truck.

Some of the key features of the Meal Plan that helped us stand out from the competition include:

• Variety and quality of our offer. Options include fast food staples, traditional classics and delicious healthy bites. Branded coffee from our Costa Proud to Serve counter and grab and go retail goods, such as sushi.
• Innovative and on trend range. Our latest addition to the Refectory is a new gyros offer, which taps into a popular food trend in Leeds currently. We are continuously reviewing our range, looking at industry trends and listening to customer feedback to inform future change.
• Ethical and sustainable procurement. We are committed to making sure the dining provision we offer for catered students is sustainable as well as delicious. We source the majority of our ingredients from local suppliers, who share our commitment to minimising the environmental impact.
• Flexibility. Students can plan their meal times around their commitments, spend their daily allowance on what suits them best and choose to eat in or take away.

Lisa Hall, Senior Head Chef, shared her thoughts on the award win.

“Exceptional food and hospitality is always our motivation in providing the most memorable catering experience for students. This award celebrates the fantastic work of our entire team, including the dedicated brigade of chefs who prepare the food each day to create varied cuisines to suit everyone’s appetites and dietary needs.”

Ben Collier, Head of Catering and Hospitality at University of Leeds, has also commented on the achievement.

“We are incredibly proud to receive this award. It’s a reflection of our team’s dedication and passion to provide a fantastic residential dining experience. This recognition inspires us to continue striving for excellence in everything we do to enhance student experience.”