Professional kitchen in action at Dragon Dining

School Food Consulting — Japan & Asia

True North
Food Consultants

Helping schools take back control of their food service — independently, confidently, and on their own terms.

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Who We Are

Experienced. Independent.
Always on your side.

True North Food Consultants was founded by Darren Prest and JP Turner, with over 15 years of hands-on experience running an independent school food service at Yokohama International School.

We've built something we're proud of — from scratch, every day, for a community that deserves better than corporate minimum standards. Now we want to help other schools do the same.

Whether you're frustrated with your current provider, curious about what independent catering looks like, or ready to make a change — we're here to help you find your True North.

A clear path
forward.

We've developed a structured roadmap for schools at every stage of their food service journey — from reviewing what you have now, to building something truly independent. No two schools are the same, and our roadmap reflects that.

01
Review

We start by understanding where you are — your current provider, your contract, your community's needs and what's working and what isn't.

02
Explore

We map out your options — from working more closely with your current caterer, to finding a new provider, to building something in-house.

03
Plan

We build a practical, realistic plan tailored to your school — your budget, your kitchen, your team and your timeline.

04
Support

We stay with you through the transition and beyond — making sure the change sticks and your community feels the difference.

We'd love to share our full roadmap with you. It walks through every stage in detail and has helped schools across Asia start asking the right questions. Get in touch and we'll send it across.

Request the Roadmap

How We Help

Whatever stage
you're at.

Contract Review

We help you understand what your current contract really says — and what questions you should be asking your provider.

Provider Search

Looking for a new caterer? We help you find the right fit for your school, your community and your values.

Going Independent

We guide schools through the full transition to in-house catering — from kitchen setup to staffing to supplier relationships.

Ongoing Support

Once you're up and running, we're still here — helping you develop your team, refine your offering and keep improving.

Let's start
the conversation.

Every school's situation is different. Tell us a little about yours and we'll come back to you with some initial thoughts — no commitment, no pressure.