Hunt is on to find LACA School Chef of the Year 2018
Chefs from 40 schools covering all ten LACA regions qualified to go through to the live regional finals which will be held in five locations across Britain between the end of November 2017 – January 2018.
The 2018 champion will receive a £1000 cash prize and the LACA 2018 School Chef of the Year trophy.
The national second and third place winners will receive cash prizes of £500 and £300 respectively.
SCOTY, which was won last year by West Yorkshire school chef, Tracy Healy, has been a flagship event for school chefs to showcase their skills for over twenty years.
The competition sees chefs given £1.30 to spend and one and a half hours to prepare their dishes.
Each entrant is required to produce a healthy balanced two-course meal comprising of a main course and dessert that would appeal to eleven-year-olds in school.
The nutritional content of contestants’ dishes must comply with the School Food Standards and take into account the Eat Well Guide 2016.
The chair of the judging panel for all of the regional finals, as well as the 2018 National Final, will be Justin Clarke, food development chef for MAGGI® at Nestlé Professional®, the events’ sponsor.
On the judging panel at each regional final will be two judges - a professional chef and a LACA education catering expert.
LACA chair, Tim Blowers, said: “There is no secret formula to participating in the LACA School Chef of the Year Competition.
“It simply requires school cooks with passion, dedication and oodles of culinary skill mixed together with delicious, nutritious dishes prepared with creativity and flair.
“Every year, this competition allows us to demonstrate to the wider world both the professional expertise of today’s school chefs and the excellent meals they prepare tirelessly every single day in schools across the country.
“The impact that this has on the health and vitality of children and young people cannot be underestimated.
“It underpins why all schools should provide quality, nutritious meals every day. Our school chefs and their teams are totally committed to the role they play in educating children and young people about how food and eating better can help them achieve more, both academically and physically."