All Things Culinary and Delicious: Healthy School Meals for Kids (Through the Eyes of Aaron Thompson, Head of Culinary)

At the Johannesburg Country Club. As an Executive Sous Chef, you’re second in command but with a much higher paycheck—hence the 'executive' title!”Welcome back to another exciting edition of The Skinny Chef Weekly Blog! This week, we're in for a treat as I catch up with one of my oldest and dearest friends—a true craftsman who knows exactly what it takes to whip up healthy, delicious meals for kids at the highest level.

If you recall one of my earlier blogs featuring Talia, a teacher at Parkview Junior, we had a deep dive into the importance of nutritious meals in schools. We all know that kids can be pretty picky when it comes to food—they know what they like, and that’s that! So, it’s crucial to inspire their taste buds and think outside the box beyond the usual sandwiches in their lunchboxes.

While it's possible to ensure balanced meals with diverse food groups at home, the challenge amplifies when it comes to controlling the quality, types, and portions of food provided by most school programs. Today’s kids face more dietary restrictions than ever—gluten, lactose, sugar, nuts—you name it! Well, those are my two cents. Now, let’s hear from the man who orchestrates a mean spread for kids every day of the week. Aaron Thompson will shed some light on what that entails. So, without further ado, let’s chat with a fellow artist who knows what it takes!

Thomas Franks Ltd Head of Culinary operations, Aaron Thompson pictured above:

Skinny Chef: “Hello, Aaron! Thanks for taking the time to chat with our readers. Let’s kick things off by hearing about when your culinary journey began?”

Thompson: “I’ve been in catering since I finished high school. I started at a restaurant, not really knowing what I wanted to do with my life. Initially, I worked as a deli assistant, but when one of the commis chefs left, I was asked if I’d be interested in working in the kitchen. After a few months, I fell in love with food, and my passion grew rapidly, leading me to stay on and work my way up to Sous Chef (second in command).”

Skinny Chef: “Wow, that’s an inspiring story for anyone aspiring to be a chef! Hard work and passion truly pay off. Tell us more, Thompson.”

Thompson: “After a short time as a Sous Chef, I felt I had outgrown the position. It was also a difficult period in my life—my wife and I separated, and she took our son to South Africa, which meant I couldn’t see him as often as I wanted. I made the bold decision to move to Johannesburg to be closer to my son. I went on my own, not really knowing if I’d find a job or where I’d live. Fortunately, I landed a position at one of the best catering companies at the time, 'By Word of Mouth,' which was really in its heyday!”

Skinny Chef: “I can truly vouch for that, everyone. During his time at 'By Word of Mouth,' Aaron and I crossed paths for the second time, and that’s when this friendship began—and it’s still going strong!”

Thompson: “I started at 'By Word of Mouth' as a Level One Function Chef since no one knew my experience. But over the course of two years, I quickly moved up to Level Four, handling events usually reserved for the top team and the executive chef. This included insane plated dinners for 1,500 people, for which I set a record—serving all the plates for the main course in just 12 minutes! That experience really honed my skills in function and event catering. After reaching that milestone, I felt it was time to move on, so I took a position as Executive Sous Chef .

Skinny Chef: “To our readers, let me just add my two cents—putting out 1,500 hot, perfectly cooked main courses in 12 minutes is nothing short of legendary! No wonder you moved on to bigger things!”

Thompson: “Thanks! My remit at the Country Club was to sort out all the issues they had. The team was disorganized, and the food quality was suffering. It took about six months to get everything running smoothly. The venue had three restaurants and 14 function rooms, so organizing daily operations was no easy task. Once I completed my assignment, I caught the attention of a legend in the industry—Gary, a Senior Regional Executive Chef at TsAfrika. He offered me the role of Regional Executive Chef, which involved overseeing chefs across 100+ locations nationwide, from business to industry sectors. My job included openings, closings, big functions, new trends, chef inductions, and developing the extensive food portfolio for the company. I loved the job—getting to visit new places, learn new skills, and meet all the chefs across the country. I even ran the catering at FNB Stadium as the Executive Chef for all events and matches, managing 200 suites and cooking for 9,000 people in partnership with Horn Phillips and Marketers Caterers. The aim was always to feed 9,000 without a single complaint, which we achieved on several occasions. The buzz of those days was epic—a real sense of accomplishment.After my time in South Africa, I decided to move back to the UK with my daughter and new wife. I joined Thomas & Frank's Ltd, an independent schools caterer focusing on young minds, where I’ve been for the past eight years. I started as an Executive Chef at a preparatory school, serving 800 meals a day—breakfast, lunch, and dinner for boarding students. Then I moved on to Shiplake Village College, where we did 1,330 meals daily, plus external events like weddings, canapé functions, and street food festivals. After being promoted from Executive Chef, I’ve now made my way to Head of Culinary.”

Skinny Chef: “Wow, Thompson! What an incredible journey! So, let’s dive into the reason we’re all here—what does your new role as Head of Culinary entail?”

Thompson: “As Head of Culinary, I’m responsible for driving the company’s food ethos. I manage a team of 17 chefs, including Regional Executive Chefs, Development Chefs, and Relief Chefs. My role involves allocating and managing the chef team for nutrition demos, food pop-ups, openings, presentations, and of course, putting out fires. I work closely with the MD, RDs, and Operations Managers. My day-to-day could be anything from cooking and managing large functions to meetings about company structure and policy—it’s a dynamic role that changes daily. It’s a challenge to make healthy, nutritious meals on a budget, but we do very well by following a tried-and-tested framework. We offer a balanced diet with a great mix of choices, including lean meats, freshly cooked vegetables, seasonal salad bars, complex carbohydrates, and low-sugar desserts.”

A snippet of the nutrient dense seasonal salad bars served by Aaron and his team :

Skinny Chef: “Thompson, you’re absolutely killing it! So, what tips can you share with our readers on how to provide delicious, nutritious meals?”

Thompson: “It’s definitely a challenge, but we’ve got a solid framework in place. For example, we extend meals for cost and nutrition by adding lentils to Bolognese or grated carrots to chili. To meet our nutrient quotas, we roast as many vegetables as possible to retain their minerals—steaming or boiling is healthy, but it can strip away the goodness. The kids are very active, so those minerals are crucial.”

Skinny Chef: “Let’s wrap this up with your daily fitness routine. How do you stay in shape?”

Thompson: “Being a chef doesn’t always allow for a regular gym routine, but I try to hit the gym four days a week, focusing on weightlifting and muscle groups, mixed with cardio. Wednesday is usually my rest day.”

Aaron after shredding it at the gym :

Skinny Chef: “Well done, mate! Thanks for sharing your incredible journey and insights. I’m so inspired by your story! And for our readers, , I’ll be sharing a healthy, skinny pudding recipe for your kids straight from my book.

Coconut Panna Cotta with Raspberry Compote 

Panna cotta (Italian for ‘cooked cream’) is an Italian dessert of sweetened cream thickened with gelatine and moulded. The name panna cotta is not mentioned in Italian cook books before the 1960s. One unverified story says it was invented by a Hungarian woman in Langhe in the 1900s, yet it is often cited as a traditional dessert from the northern Italian region of Piedmont. In this healthy recipe, the cream has been substituted with coconut milk. Extracted from the flesh of mature coconuts, it contains lauric acid and benefits health in stimulating weight loss, lowering cholesterol and boosting the immune system. Raspberries are low in calories and contain small amounts of vitamin A, thiamine, riboflavin, vitamin B6, calcium and zinc, and are also high in fibre and tannin that may help with controlling blood sugar levels. 

Ingredients

Vegan coconut panna cotta 

• 1 x 400ml can coconut milk 

• 1 – 1.5 teaspoon agar agar powder 

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

• 100g castor sugar 

• 2 tablespoons of maple syrup 

• 1 cup water 

• Serves 4

Raspberry Compote

•   100g raspberries

•   80g dates

•   1 lemon, juiced

•   Few tablespoons of water

Method

1.Bring 1 cup/240ml of water to the boil, and then stir in the agar agar.

2.Reduce to a simmer and stir constantly for 5 minutes, making sure no agar agar gets stuck to the bottom.

3. Take off the heat and add the coconut milk, vanilla and maple syrup. Whisk to ensure all the coconut fat is melted.

4. Pour into 4 small serving dishes, leave to cool then move to the fridge to set. It only needs to cool for about 30 minutes to set. The dairy-free panna cotta is ready to eat or keep in the fridge where it will last several days.

5. Blend together the berries, dates and lemon juice with a few tablespoons of water.

6. Pour some berry compote on top of the now set panna cottas and serve.

Love you all, and see you at the same time, same place next week!”