Students, staff and visitors to Chichester College can be assured they are ‘eating well’ when they stop by Cafe 19.

The cafe, a student-run training restaurant, has received a Gold level award for its healthy menu, under the national Eat Out Eat Well scheme.

Cafe 19 serves healthy and hearty homemade meals, including staples such as soup and sandwiches as well as a range of tempting daily specials – all cooked and served by hospitality and catering students.

Lecturer Alison Girdlestone has been a driving force in ensuring the menus meet the healthy standards set by the Eat Out Eat Well Scheme.

She said: “Since Cafe 19 opened two years ago, we’ve been working hard to make sure we are serving delicious meals which and not only filling, but are also healthy.

“It’s all about making small changes to the way we prepare our meals to help reduce salt, sugar and fat without compromising the flavour, so as a team we are constantly looking at new ways to do this.

“We’re very proud to receive this award as it reflects that we are achieving our aim to make healthy, tasty breakfasts and lunches that our customers can enjoy.”

Julia Williams, Head of Learning for Service Industries at Chichester College, added: “We are very proud of this award – it is a well-deserved recognition of the work that the team have put into Cafe 19.

“They are constantly developing the menu, offering freshly cooked, healthy options that will satisfy the appetites of the college’s hungry staff and students.”

The Eat Out Eat Well award is assessed and managed by local councils, through Trading Standards, Environmental Health and Public Health teams, and takes into account the type of food on offer, the cooking methods and how meals are promoted to customers.

Councillor Eileen Lintill, Cabinet Member for Community Services at Chichester District Council, said: “I would like to say a huge congratulations to Chichester College for achieving their Eat Out, Eat Well Gold Award.

“Having this award will mean customers being able to easily make positive, healthy choices in what they eat, and the team there have worked extremely hard to ensure their menus are healthy as well as offering great flavour.

“I would urge other catering establishments across the Chichester District to find out more about how this award can benefit their business and customers.”

Cafe 19 is open to the public from 9.15am until 1.30pm, Tuesdays-Fridays (term time only).