East Midlands school chef secures place at 2024 SCOTY final
The competition is open to all kitchen-based staff involved in the daily preparation of pupils’ meals in schools across the UK whether from a local authority or contract-catered site, managed in-house, academy school or part of a Multi-Academy Trust.
Garry took part in the cook-off held at MKN’s kitchen in Cannock. The school chefs had just 1h 30 minutes in which to create four portions of their two-course menu.
For his main course he produced soy and honey marinated chicken with scallion pancake, Asian stir fry and noodles. For dessert he created citrus posset with raspberry compote and Earl Grey biscuit.
Louise Wagstaffe, Premier Foods development chef and SCOTY head judge, commented: "Watching Garry cook today was a pleasure. His time planning, organization, and execution were exemplary. The citrus posset, Made with McDougalls Lime Jelly was a real hit with the judges and complemented beautifully with the Earl Grey biscuit.”
The next SCOTY regional finals will take place on Wednesday 22nd May featuring two school chefs from the North West and three form the Wales region.
Premier Foods Foodservice, producers of Bisto the main sponsor of SCOTY, added: "Congratulations to Garry for delivering some outstanding school food in the regional finals – it was a tough judging process but he thoroughly deserves his spot in the national finals.
“You can really start to feel the excitement and buzz now as we enter the latter stages of the competition. We look forward to seeing Garry at the national finals, where he will have another fantastic opportunity to showcase his culinary skills and put his school food on the map.”
The prestigious school chef competition, School Chef of the Year (SCOTY), is run by LACA, the School Food People and sponsored by Bisto, from Premier Foods Foodservice. The competition attracts some of the very best school chef talent from across the country.
The regional finalists and potential wild card competitors will take part in the national final at the LACA Main Event on Wednesday 3rd and Thursday 4th July 2024.