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With the competition focus on producing nutritious and delicious meals for 11-year-old primary or secondary school pupils, the SCOTY competition is the perfect showcase for passionate school chefs to demonstrate what they do best every day.

The competition is open to all kitchen-based staff involved in the daily preparation of pupils’ meals in schools across the UK. Competitors must prepare, cook and present four portions of a main course and dessert with a total food cost of £1.60 per head in 90 minutes that meet the School Food Standards and Eat Well Guide.

Competitors must use a minimum of one Premier Foods ingredient in both their main course and dessert. Judges will be looking for innovative and creative ways the products have been used in the finished dishes. School chefs interested in taking part in the competition can register here.

Sarah Robb, foodservice marketing manager at Premier Foods, said: “LACA School Chef of the Year has been one of the highlights of the school catering calendar for many years and so we are excited that Bisto is sponsoring the event this year. We’ll be supporting and celebrating the chefs who get involved throughout the process and can’t wait to be part of the judging panel to help find the next star of school meals.

“The Premier Foods foodservice team work with chefs across the UK and we’ll be encouraging as many as possible to get involved and submit an entry. It’s a great way to test and develop your skills whilst potentially putting your school on the map.”

The national final will be held at the LACA Main Event on Wednesday 5th and Thursday 6th July at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole.

The 2023 national winner will receive a £1,000 cash prize, the 2023 LACA School Chef of the Year trophy and an invitation to a calendar of catering industry events. The national second and third place winners will receive £500 and £300 respectively.

Brad Pearce, chair of LACA, added: “We’re delighted that returning as sponsors for the SCOTY Competition 2023 are Premier Foods and their Bisto brand. I can’t wait to see how creative this years’ entrants will be with their dishes and look forward to the upcoming heats and final and celebrating the winner at our Gala Dinner and Awards Evening. Good luck everyone!”

Previous School Chef of the Year (SCOTY) winners and contestants including Sharon Armstrong, Tom Armstrong, Raheem Morgan and Holly Charnock helped serve typical examples of school lunches at LACA’s Annual School Lunch event at the House of Commons. 

The meals served included chicken tikka; roast beef in gravy with mini Yorkshire puddings and mild bean & vegetable chilli. The event was an opportunity to showcase the benefits of children consuming a hot, healthy and nutritious school meal.

Register your interest in taking part in SCOTY by 27th January. 

Entrants will then have until 3rd March to work on your menu and dishes, full competition rules and criteria can be found in the LACA School Chef of the Year 2023 Entry Pack.