Ex-Savoy chef school dinners: St David’s College serves fine dining 2026

Key Points

• Danny Wild is a 45-year-old chef from Rhos on Sea who forms part of the catering team of St David’s College in Llandudno.
• Chef Wild used to work at London’s Savoy Hotel and he has cooked for Sir Alex Ferguson, Gordon Ramsay, Bear Grylls and Mel B.
• Chef Wild has also worked along side the late chef, Albert Roux and he got his training at Llandrillo College.
• According to North Wales Live, Chef Wild has been working at St David’s College for the past five years.
• The school’s 12-man catering team is headed by catering manager, Will Jones, who once worked at the prestigious five-star Chester Grosvenor Hotel.
• The meals include shin of beef in red wine, salmon teriyaki, biryani and korma curries.
• The kitchen makes its own pies, chicken meals, curries, quiches, desserts, fresh bread and salads.
• The ingredients are sourced from Mermaid Seafood in Llandudno and Llechwedd Meats.
• The overall contribution of the local supply chain is said to be valued at £7 million per year to the economy of Conwy, creating 213 jobs in the process.
• Two students from St David’s College; Martha Gunn and Alastair Preston-Marriott (both aged 10), praised the food at the school’s canteen.

St Davids (Wales Times) October 28, 2026 – A former Savoy Hotel chef is helping to reshape school dinners at St David’s College, an independent day and boarding school in Llandudno, by applying restaurant-level cooking methods, homemade preparation and locally sourced ingredients to pupils’ daily meals.

Danny Wild, 45, from uk/local/wrexham/rhos/">Rhos on Sea, is now part of a 12-strong catering team at the college. As reported by the North Wales Pioneer, Mr Wild trained at Llandrillo College and previously developed his skills at London’s Savoy Hotel, where he cooked for celebrities including Sir Alex Ferguson, Gordon Ramsay, Bear Grylls and Spice Girl Mel B. He has also worked alongside the late Albert Roux, one of Britain’s best-known chefs.

The development has been covered by several Welsh and national-focused outlets. The North Wales Pioneer reported that Mr Wild is bringing “gourmet meals” to the school, while North Wales Live described his work as bringing “a touch of fine dining” to school meals in North Wales. Nation.Cymru similarly reported that the former Savoy chef is bringing fine dining to Welsh school dinners.

What is changing at St David’s College?

The central change is not simply the addition of individual dishes, but the way food is prepared and sourced. According to the North Wales Pioneer, meals now include shin of beef with red wine, salmon teriyaki and korma curries. North Wales Live and Nation.Cymru also listed biryani among the dishes served to pupils.

Catering manager Will Jones, 48, said the school applies the same attention to detail as a high-end restaurant. As reported by the North Wales Pioneer, Mr Jones said: “The same level of detail we had for the duke and that striving for excellence is exactly the same level of detail that we have here at St David’s College.”

He added that the kitchen prepares much of its food from scratch. “We make our own pies, chicken dishes, curries and quiches, and all the desserts and fresh bread is homemade, and we have four or five different homemade salads on the salad bar,” Mr Jones said, according to the North Wales Pioneer.

The school’s own food page says its catering team creates menus for breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week, as well as catering for college events. This aligns with the reporting that meals are freshly prepared rather than bought in ready-made.

Who is Danny Wild?

Danny Wild is a head chef at St David’s College and a former commis chef at The Savoy. As reported by North Wales Live, he spent time catering for an international clientele of celebrities, dignitaries and royalty during his time at the London hotel.

Mr Wild trained at Llandrillo College before entering professional kitchens. North Wales Live reported that he began as a demi-chef de partie at the Chester Grosvenor Hotel and later ran the hotel’s brasserie.

His career has included work alongside Albert Roux, the late French-born chef and restaurateur who was widely associated with fine dining in Britain. The North Wales Pioneer reported that Mr Wild has cooked for Sir Alex Ferguson, Gordon Ramsay, Bear Grylls and Mel B.

Despite that background, Mr Wild said his approach at St David’s College remains the same. As quoted by the North Wales Pioneer, he said: “I have the same dedication of delivering delicious, nutritious food here as I had at The Savoy, the expertise and the commitment to the job is exactly the same.”

How does the kitchen source its food?

St David’s College sources ingredients from local suppliers, including Mermaid Seafood in Llandudno and Llechwedd Meats. The North Wales Pioneer reported that this supply chain contributes £7 million annually to the Conwy economy and supports 213 jobs.

Nation.Cymru additionally reported that Harlech Foodservice and Castell Howell also serve the college. The report quoted Mr Wild saying that the school uses local butchers, fishmongers and fruit and vegetable suppliers.

Mr Wild said local sourcing offers practical as well as culinary benefits. “Getting the produce locally is more convenient, it’s fresher, it’s price competitive,” he said, according to the North Wales Pioneer. He added:

“I have grown up here and lived here all my life so I know local produce around here is excellent.”

What do pupils say about the meals?

Pupils interviewed by the North Wales Pioneer responded positively to the food. Year 6 boarder Martha Gunn, 10, said: “I love the food here, especially when we have fish and chips, and I really enjoy the pasta dishes too, there is a big selection.”

Day pupil Alastair Preston-Marriott, also 10, told the newspaper: “The food is great, there is a big variety, and I really like things like the vegetarian lasagne.”

Their comments reflect the school’s stated aim of offering a broad menu. Mr Wild said pupils are encouraged to try new flavours and that some become “real foodies”. “They surprise you in the end, they will try anything and some become real foodies, it’s great to see,” he said, as reported by the North Wales Pioneer.

Why does the chef say school food has changed?

Mr Wild said his first impression of St David’s College challenged common assumptions about institutional catering.

“I came for the interview and was taken around the kitchen and I just thought ‘wow, they do proper cooking here’,”

he said, according to the North Wales Pioneer.

He added:

“You have an image of school meals and you think they just buy stuff in, but that doesn’t happen here.”

Nation.Cymru reported further comments from Mr Wild about the reputation of school dinners. He said:

“Back in the day school dinners had a terrible reputation, but what we do here is a thousand miles away from that.”

The same report quoted him saying that curries are among the most popular meals, with curry days featuring biryani or korma. He also said salmon is popular, particularly salmon teriyaki, and that fish dishes such as seafood gratin are well received.

What role does Will Jones play?

Will Jones leads the college’s catering operation. The North Wales Pioneer reported that he previously worked at the five-star Chester Grosvenor Hotel, while North Wales Live described his experience as including work at that hotel.

Mr Jones’s comments connect the school’s catering to high-end hospitality standards. He said the same level of detail and pursuit of excellence used in that environment is applied at St David’s College.

The college’s published staff list identifies Mr Jones as catering manager and Mr Daniel Wild as head chef. It also lists other members of the catering team, including second chef Ben Cooksey and several kitchen and catering staff.

How does this fit St David’s College’s wider offer?

St David’s College is an independent day and boarding school in Llandudno, Conwy. Its website describes its catering team as responsible for “diverse and interesting menus” across breakfast, lunch and dinner, seven days a week.

The school’s pupil handbook states that it employs trained chefs rather than cooks and says its kitchens produce food that would be “the envy of many restaurants across the country”. It also refers to themed evening meals celebrating different festivals or events during the year.

The reporting does not state that the college’s food provision is new. North Wales Live and Nation.Cymru both reported that Mr Wild has worked at St David’s College for five years, suggesting that the coverage highlights an established catering approach rather than announcing a brand-new service.

Background of the development

St David’s College is based at Gloddaeth Hall in Llandudno and serves both day pupils and boarders. Its food provision forms part of residential life, with catering provided throughout the week rather than only at lunchtime.

Mr Wild’s background reflects a broader movement of trained chefs working outside traditional restaurant settings. His previous roles include The Savoy and the Chester Grosvenor Hotel, both associated with high-end hospitality. North Wales Live reported that he worked at The Savoy as a commis chef and later held roles at the Chester Grosvenor, including running its brasserie.

The college’s catering team is led by Mr Jones and includes Mr Wild as head chef. The published staff list names 11 other catering staff alongside Mr Jones and Mr Wild, consistent with the 12-strong team figure reported by the North Wales Pioneer.

Local sourcing is another important part of the story. The named suppliers include Mermaid Seafood and Llechwedd Meats, while Nation.Cymru also identified Harlech Foodservice and Castell Howell as suppliers to the school. These relationships link the college’s kitchens to businesses in north Wales and the wider regional food economy.

Prediction: what this could mean for pupils and parents

For pupils, the development may continue to normalise a wider range of foods at school. The reported menu includes curries, fish dishes, vegetarian options and homemade baked goods, which could encourage children to become more familiar with different ingredients and flavours. Mr Wild’s comments to the North Wales Pioneer suggest that the college deliberately encourages pupils to try new tastes.

For parents, particularly those considering boarding or independent education, the quality and consistency of catering may become a more visible part of a school’s offer. The reporting indicates that St David’s College presents food as part of daily welfare and residential experience, with meals provided across breakfast, lunch and dinner.

For local food businesses, continued demand from the college could support regional suppliers. The reported £7 million annual contribution to the Conwy economy and 213 jobs relates to the wider supply chain, although the reports do not state how much of that figure is directly attributable to St David’s College.

For other schools, the case may add to ongoing discussion about whether freshly prepared, locally sourced meals can be delivered in education settings. The evidence in this story is specific to one independent school with a large catering team and access to regional suppliers; it does not establish that the same model can be replicated universally across all schools.