Hwa Chong working with SATS to improve meal presentation and recipes for students
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Meals provided by airline caterer SATS for HCI students drew criticism after images of bento sets were posted online on Jan 3.
PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO
Follow topic:
- HCI is collaborating with SATS to improve bento meals based on student feedback regarding recipes and presentation after online criticism.
- HCI plans to set up an on-site kitchen, explore reusable bento boxes, improve food images, and introduce pre-ordering options.
- HCI refutes claims of disciplining students who spoke to media and clarifies the discipline module was taken down for review in October 2025.
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SINGAPORE – Hwa Chong Institution (HCI) is working with food caterer SATS to refine its bento meals based on feedback, said principal Lee Peck Ping.
Speaking to the media at the school on Jan 15, Mr Lee said that SATS is reviewing its recipes and food presentation, and refining its menus based on student preferences.
The school is also looking at setting up an on-site kitchen to prepare bento meals on campus.
Meals provided by airline caterer SATS
Going forward, SATS will explore new reusable bento box designs and materials.
The school will display physical samples in the canteen, share photos with parent representatives, and update the Tappee+ platform – used to order the bento meals – with more accurate food images.
Mr Lee added that HCI is also working with SATS to introduce pre-ordering options at live stalls from the second semester to further reduce queues.
The on-site kitchen it is exploring would help to shorten cooking-to-service time, enhance food standards and improve quality control, said the school in its statement.
Planning and preparatory works are under way, with implementation expected after the completion of campus works.
“While we are working with SATS to improve the current canteen operations, we seek parents’ and students’ understanding and patience... Together, we want to make this work. We want to address and identify some of the issues earlier, as well as to work together, collaboratively, to improve our canteen,” said Mr Lee.
More recent posts on social media have alleged that the school disciplined students who had spoken to the media, by issuing demerit points. Concerns were also raised that the school removed the discipline module on its portal after these allegations surfaced online.
HCI said these claims are false, adding that the discipline module was taken down in October 2025, prior to recent discussions about the hybrid canteen model.
“The temporary takedown was part of an ongoing review of the school’s demerit system, with the aim of making it more developmental in nature. The module was taken offline to facilitate system updates and internal review, and this was not intended to obscure information or restrict access,” it said.
Access to discipline records has since been restored.
At the event the school organised for the media on Jan 15, The Straits Times spoke to five Year 4 students, who gave mixed reviews about the SATS pre-packed meals.
Speaking under condition of anonymity, the students said some meals like fried mee goreng and some vegetable dishes were bland and dry. However, other dishes like the sweet and sour chicken were more flavourful.
They said that it is still early days, and that they had not yet tried enough varieties to know which dishes they like.
“If I see meals that I tried before and taste good, I’ll just keep going for those options, because it’s like a sure hit,” said a student.
Most students prefer food from the live stalls, he said, although bento meals are a better option for avoiding the long queues during lunch periods.
Another student said while the negative attention the school has garnered online has been unfortunate, there have been some positives.
“Since then, there has been visible improvement in the food and also in the feedback I’m getting from my friends. So I would say this has actually helped.”
