Lodestone House extends catering partnership at St Columba’s College

Independent school caterer, Lodestone House, has extended its partnership with St Columba’s College in St Albans, Hertfordshire, in a new seven-year contract that will see significant investment in catering facilities and services to support the College’s growth and evolving needs.

The partnership, which first began in 2018, has seen Lodestone House provide catering for the College’s 820 pupils aged 4–18, including supporting its transition from a boys’ school to a fully co-educational community. As part of the renewed contract, Lodestone House will work closely with the College on a comprehensive kitchen redesign, creating a modern, efficient space equipped to deliver diverse, high-quality food in line with the College’s growing number of students.

Innovation will also play a key role, with the introduction of a new mobile catering van offering flexible food service during breaks, lunchtime and school events.

Lodestone House will continue to implement its Garden, Kitchen, Classroom ethos across St Columba’s College, championing fresh British seasonal ingredients while feeding the curiosity and learning of pupils. Nutrition and education sit at the heart of Lodestone House’s philosophy, with an emphasis on wholefoods, wholegrains and scratch cooking across its menus – ensuring that the food pupils eat helps them achieve their full potential.

Noelle Jones, Managing Director at Lodestone House, said: “We’re delighted to be continuing our partnership with St Columba’s College. This is a collaborative relationship built on trust, shared values, and a commitment to excellence. To support the College with its growth plans, we have overseen a comprehensive kitchen redesign, as well as the launch of a new catering van which will further enhance the student experience. Our garden-to-kitchen-to-classroom mission aligns perfectly with St Columba’s College’s unrelenting focus on quality. We are proud to enrich daily school life with nourishing food and to empower pupils with knowledge about food and nutrition.”

Karl Guest, Headmaster at St Columba’s College, said: “Our partnership with Lodestone House has gone from strength to strength over the past seven years. Their understanding of our ethos, commitment to quality, and willingness to innovate have been instrumental in supporting our growth and our transition to co-education. Equally, we want to acknowledge the incredible team of kitchen staff who work tirelessly every day to deliver exceptional meals and service. Their dedication, creativity, and professionalism ensure that our pupils, parents, and visitors enjoy a consistently high-quality experience. The kitchen redesign and mobile catering van are exciting next steps that will further empower this talented team and enhance the overall experience for our community.”