Where the Heart of the School Beats

«Cooking educates», says Ruben von Schwanenflügel. «In several areas: teamwork, self-efficacy, craftsmanship, health, and community.» He has been running the school kitchen at Windrather Talschule in Velbert for almost twenty years—for him, it is much more than just a place to eat. These words could come straight from the curriculum of a Waldorf school, but here they are a living reality—daily practice at the stove.

The vision is clear: organically produced, seasonal and local, freshly cooked. Prepared and eaten together. In lovingly designed rooms. But what is the reality?

Ambition and reality

Not all Waldorf schools have their own school kitchen. Many work with caterers, some use distribution kitchens, and others do without altogether. Where there is a school kitchen, as in Velbert or Leipzig, the spectrum ranges from idealism to improvisation. In Velbert, the kitchen is part of the school organism. «I am employed as a teacher, attend conferences, and am part of the school management team – that creates a level playing field», says Ruben von Schwanenflügel. The salary is also the same.

In Leipzig, the school kitchen is also more than just a catering facility. Lyes Bouldjediane, co-founder and head chef, has worked closely with students, parents, and staff to build a vibrant food culture there. He sees himself not only as a chef, but also as an educator with a pan and a heart. «I address every student by name. I observe, listen, and try to impart something – for life.» While von Schwanenflügel works in a structured manner – with daily rotating groups of students, clear procedures, and fixed rules – Bouldjediane thrives on presence. Both approaches are effective: around 250 meals are served daily in Velbert and around 450 in Leipzig. In both schools, the children help with the cooking – regularly and obligatory.

But the daily grind is still challenging: rising food prices, a shortage of skilled workers, a lack of space, and unclear responsibilities. «The kitchen is part of the organism that is the school – just like the heart is part of the human body»,says Heidi Leonhard, main organizer of the symposium on anthroposophical nutrition and home economics. «It is not a cost factor, but a profit center – if you run it with love and understanding.»

The kitchen as a classroom – two models

The seventh-grade kitchen internship is a regular part of the curriculum at many Waldorf schools. Although, how it is implemented varies significantly. In Velbert, the internship is integrated into the overall school day: one student from each grade from seventh to tenth cooks on a fixed day of the week from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Main lessons begin later so that the kitchen work does not interfere with learning. «The young people do everything», says Ruben von Schwanenflügel. «After 25 days, the class is done – then the cycle starts all over again.» This long-term involvement creates familiarity, responsibility, and a genuine connection to everyday school life.

In Leipzig, the internship is organized in blocks. Each seventh grader cooks twice a week, every day from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. «The development during this time is amazing», says Lyes Bouldjediane. «Many surpass themselves. Parents sometimes tell me that their child is barely recognizable.» The students' reports reflect pride and moments of realization: «I never thought I would make pasta for 200 people», writes one student. Another praises: «I learned how important teamwork is in the kitchen.» Both examples show that kitchen internships can be designed in many different ways. The decisive factor is not the model – but whether it is filled with heart and attitude. Many Waldorf school kitchens set high standards: local, seasonal, organic, preferably Demeter. The approach is successful—with some limitations. Tomatoes in winter or vanilla pudding from a packet are not demonized, but treated pragmatically. The motto is: as little convenience as possible, as much sensuality and origin as feasible. «I know how to do it without powder – and that's how I usually do it», says Ruben von Schwanenflügel. Anyone who cooks with schoolchildren every day has no choice but to make compromises. But these are made consciously – not out of convenience.

Hardly any other topic triggers as many emotions in schools as food. The school kitchen often becomes a focal point for underlying conflicts within the school community. Parents, teachers, and students have a wide range of expectations—but practical experience in everyday kitchen life is rare. «If you want to have a say, you should know what everyday life is like», says Lyes Bouldjediane. «The best thing is to have cooked there yourself.»

It's about more than just taste. It's about belonging, health, structure. And ultimately, it's also a question of dignity: Are children being served decent, healthy, lovingly prepared food? Are they allowed to help prepare it? Are they being seen? Food is an offer of connection. And that requires people, not just plans. «It takes the right attitude», says Heidi Leonhard, «and people who make it possible.» Velbert shows one solution: there, Ruben von Schwanenflügel deliberately avoids a formal kitchen circle. Instead, he is integrated into the school structure—with a seat at conferences, on the school board, and on the executive committee. «Then you actually get to see everything», he says. Communication is direct—at mealtimes, in the hallway, in meetings. And anyone who wants to contribute is invited to take a look at the kitchen for themselves. This creates trust through proximity—not through committees.

Heidi Leonhard describes the shared meal in the school kitchen as «a daily social exercise». Practical and theoretical home economics lessons are not only about healthy eating, but also about mindfulness, responsibility, consideration, and community. Meals are prepared together, they begin and end with a saying at the table, everyone serves each other, and the tone is respectful.

For many children today, this culture of community replaces something that used to be taken for granted at home: eating together, interacting, being noticed. School thus becomes a social space where relationships are formed over food. It makes a difference whether someone simply serves food – or knows the children by name, looks at them, smiles at them. Anthroposophical nutrition calls this «nutrition through the senses». This refers not only to taste, but also to atmosphere. This is precisely where the opportunity for Waldorf cuisine lies: in the connection between physical care and spiritual care, between everyday life and education.

Symposium with heart and soul

For over 40 years, chefs, kitchen managers, and those interested in education have been meeting at the symposium on anthroposophical nutrition and home economics. The event is hosted by the Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Ernährung und Gemeinschaftsverpflegung (Working Group for Nutrition and Community Catering) in cooperation with the Bund der Freien Waldorfschulen (Association of Waldorf Schools Germany). The next meeting will take place on Ascension Day 2026 at the Windrather Talschule. 

Interessierte wenden sich per E-Mail an Heidi Leonhard: heidimarie62@t-online.de