Angela Hartnett serves diners a school lunch reality check

The School Food Project and BBH London have recruited chef Angela Hartnett to front a fake restaurant serving unsuspecting diners real school meals, turning the state of school food into an experiential marketing campaign aimed squarely at parents.

The pop-up, called Centena, an anagram of “canteen”, was presented as Hartnett’s latest dining venture.

But neither the dishes nor the menu were hers.

Instead, guests were served processed chicken burgers, stale buns, soggy chips and cold, congealed baked beans. Their reactions were filmed before the experience switched to dishes designed to show what better school food could look like.

It is a simple piece of behavioural reframing: rather than asking adults what they think children should tolerate at lunchtime, BBH put the food directly in front of them.

The School Food Project brings together Bite Back, Chefs in Schools, School Food Matters, The Food Foundation and the Jamie Oliver Group. The campaign directs families to the School Food Project hub, where schools can sign up for support.

The launch comes as the government publishes new school food standards for England. Subject to Parliamentary approval, the updated rules are due to take effect from September 2027, with some secondary school requirements phased in from September 2028.

The work also follows BBH’s Tesco’s fruit giant campaign, which used a very different creative device to put children’s nutrition at the centre of a brand story.

Naomi Duncan, CEO of Chefs in Schools, said: “This is a huge moment for school food.”

Karen Martin, CEO of BBH London and Dublin, added: “The work the School Food Project is doing is vital: to show parents that good school food really is possible.”

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