Ovation delivers dining services with a difference –building connection, fuelling tradition, and serving comfort with every plate at some of New Zealand’s most cherished independent schools.
“Warmth, care, and professionalism – served with every plate.” That’s how Ovation CEO Patrick McCartney sums up the company’s approach to hospitality. And nowhere does that ethos shine more brightly than in the schools they serve: Christ’s College, Whanganui Collegiate, and Solway College.
Because, yes, they’re feeding hungry teenagers (with enthusiasm, panache – and a world-famous-in-New-Zealand mac ‘n’ cheese when necessary). But they’re also helping build something deeper: community , continuity and culture. In these dining halls, food is more than sustenance – it’s a backdrop to friendship, a punctuation mark in the school day, a warm and necessary ritual in a student’s routine.
“We’re not just dishing up meals,” says McCartney. “We’re stitched into the life of the school. From a full Kiwi breakfast to that late-night snack for the boarders, it all matters. It all adds up.”
A bespoke approach, crafted by crest and character
Each school has its own routines and rituals – and Ovation makes it a point to learn those rhythms before lifting a ladle.
“We listen first,” McCartney says. “Every school is different – and proudly so. What works at works at one school might not land at another. You can’t just walk in and drop a menu.
“You have to feel the place. Every new partnership begins with time on the ground – understanding the culture, the calendar, the little rhythms that make a school tick. Listening. Understand the crest on the blazer. Know what matters there – and why. And that’s the beauty of it. We build our teams around those differences.”
And it doesn’t stop after the first term. Ovation’s teams are in schools every day – refining menus, swapping out dishes, responding to the small signals. And, as McCartney says – fittingly, in an educational setting: listening. Listening some more. And never, ever stopping learning.
The Ovation difference
Ovation’s teams are on-site, in the dining halls, living and breathing the daily rhythm of school life. They adapt, they tweak, they remember names. They build relationships with staff, with students, with the people quietly making the school run behind the scenes.
“You don’t earn trust with a glossy flyer,” McCartney says. “You earn it by getting the mashed potato right. When the team remembers someone’s allergy without being reminded. When the vegetarian option isn’t an afterthought. When the service just… hums.”
While Ovation is backed by a trans-Tasman network with decades of experience, its New Zealand operations are proudly local – run by people who know our schools and understand the unique pace and pressures of the education sector. It’s a team that values consistency, responsiveness, and the little things that make a big difference.
“In a school setting, you don’t get to miss a beat, ”McCartney says. “You’ve got to show up, plate up, and get it right. It has to be good. And it has to work for everyone – from the Principal to the Year 9 with the hollow legs.”
That’s the Ovation difference: hospitality that looks effortless, but never is. A service that’s personal, flexible, and grounded in care.
“Hospitality is about relationships,” says McCartney. “A team that becomes part of the school family. A hot lunch that hits the spot. Service so seamless you never have to second-guess it – because you know it’ll always be done with heart.”
Get in touch: Ovation is proud to be a platinum sponsor of Independent Schools of New Zealand. We love working in the education space –where our food fuels learning, connection, and community. To find out more about what Ovation can offer your school, please contact our Business Development Executive, John Rippingham (ph: 022 135 8951 or email john.rippingham@ovationhospitalityservices.co.nz). John would love to shout you a coffee, perhaps even a mighty bowl of mac ‘n’ cheese!
