One of the first things that chef David Leake did when he took over the canteen at Bartholomew School, Eynsham, last year was to paint the dining area and decorate the walls with food posters. He then bought some brightly coloured gingham table cloths, which transformed the area completely and gave it a continental cafe look.

His reasons for doing so are simple. He believes that children are far more sophisticated these days, because of the world in which we now live. He says they certainly travel far more than earlier generations ever did and, as a consequence, have come to expect an attractive place to eat and an international menu from which to choose. He feels that they are more concerned about the environment, too. "Children really are beginning to understand the need to eat local foods whenever possible, which is why I have approached local suppliers for my produce."

David is a chef from the traditional school, who has been cooking professionally since he was 15. Like so many chefs of his ilk, he knows how to make a delicious gravy sauce without resorting to Oxo cubes or gravy mix. He admits that he's as passionate about serving good food now as he was when he first entered a professional kitchen. This is one of the reasons he still wears the tall chef's hat, which he says goes down well with the children, who immediately accept this as a badge of his trade. He says the hat encourages them to consider the school dinner an experience, rather than just a meal.

When David took over the Bartholomew School canteen he was only serving a handful of main meals; now he boasts more than 600 children use the canteen and the numbers continue to rise. So what is his secret? Is it just the change of decor and the gingham table cloths? No, says David; it's far more than that. It really is about accepting that children's expectations have changed, and catering for those changes.

"I print out a weekly menu, which is also on show at Richard Golsby's butcher's shop in the centre of the village, which is where I get all my meat," says David, pointing to a colourful menu that looked as good - if not better - than menus you would find in a restaurant.

It lists the chef's choice of the day, which is printed alongside a flag indicating the country of origin or a cartoon picture of the dish itself. This is followed by a description of the dish and the vegetables and sauces that accompany it, described as they would be on a restaurant menu. Then comes the pasta section, the vegetarian option, the salad bar choices and the sweet of the day. Freshly made baguettes feature, too.

The price of a main meal is £2, which David believes is the magic figure that works for parents and children. His home-cooked puddings are 50p.

He says most children are given £3 a day for their lunch. "By charging £2 for the main meal, they still have a pound left over for a drink and light snack in the morning."

David's budget allows him 70p towards the cost of the produce, the remaining £1.30 pays staff wages and other overheads. His aim is to break even, which he does.

"One of the things I would really like to set up, which would help the costings and provide really local fruit and vegetables, is an allotment tended by the youngsters. I know there are other schools doing this and that it works, as the children get hands-on gardening experience and get to taste the things they grow, too."

David does occasionally find parents bringing in things like cooking apples and pumpkins, because they have a glut in their garden and don't want them wasted.

"I had some wonderful apples given to me the other day, which I baked filled with dried fruit. I served them with custard and they proved really popular." He says that, surprisingly, some of the old-fashioned puddings, like apple crumble and steamed jam sponge, are proving firm favourites with the children.

"These are puddings that were served here at Bartholomew School canteen almost 50 years ago when it first opened. Children loved them then - they love them now."

David is particularly interested in the history of his canteen as he is trying to put a book together as part of the celebrations of the school's 50th anniversary next year. He is also looking for recipes that reflect Eynsham's past and call for ingredients grown locally, as he would like to feature them on the school menu and the village's community website.

"Because Eynsham is a village with a thriving community spirit, I want to call on that spirit by using the school kitchen for more than just a lunchtime service."

He already offers a takeaway service for parents who call to pick up their children at the end of the school day. "Sometimes they haven't time to cook a meal for supper, so they call in for one of my main meals to take out instead. That works well."

His next plan is to start a breakfast club and give cookery lessons outside school hours. "I would like to demonstrate some of the dishes I cook for the children and show the parents that it's possible to create a really delicious hot meal for under a pound. That would be a nice thing to do for the community and it might ensure that even more parents encourage their children to take a school meal."

His other plan is to involve the butcher Richard Golsby more, by calling him in to demonstrate meat cuts and perhaps encourage children to see butchery and catering as possible careers.

Our interview ends at this point as David has to check the joint of roast beef he is cooking and put the Yorkshire puddings in the oven.