LACA reveals SCOTY cooking schedule for national final
The ten regional winners and the two wildcard entrants will cook over the course of the two days at the LACA Main Event, which is taking place at the Birmingham Hilton Metropole.
Organised by the LACA and sponsored this year by Bisto from Premier Foods, School Chef of the Year is the education catering sector’s premier culinary skills competition.
The SCOTY competition aims are to show the high quality of school meals and the contribution they make to the health and wellbeing of their children and their physical and educational attainment.
the 2024 national winner will receive a £1,000 cash prize, the 2024 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.
Wednesday 3rd July
11.00 – Heat 1 Monarch Foyer
Competitors: Paul Harris, Cleverchefs – representing South West; Aaron Delaney, Sodexo – representing West Midlands; Kirsty McAndrew, Midshire Signature Services – representing Yorkshire & Humberside
- 11.30 – Judges briefing
- 11.45 – Competition begins, 90 minutes of cooking time
- 13.15 – Dishes to be presented
13.45 – Heat 2 Monarch Foyer
Competitors: Aron Jordan, Doucecroft School – representing East of England; Katherine Ruffalls, Nourish Catering – representing London; Richard Hardy, Bishop Wilkinson Catholic Education Trust – representing North East & Scotland
- 14.15 – Judges briefing
- 14.30 – Competition begins
- 16.00 –Dishes to be presented
Thursday 4th July
08.45 – Heat 3 Monarch Foyer
Competitors: Garry Finan, Corby Business Academy – representing East Midlands; Mark Kent, Impact Food Group – representing South East; Jennifer Brown, OCS – representing South West (wildcard entry)
- 09.15 – Judges briefing
- 09.30 – Competition begins
- 11.00 – Dishes to be presented
11.45 – Heat Four Monarch Foyer
Competitors: Paul Hardy, Midshire Signature Services – representing North West; Duygu Dee Karakus, Big Fresh Catering – representing Wales; Jody Iske, Queen Ethelburga’s College – representing Yorkshire & Humberside (wildcard entry)
- 12.15 – Judges briefing
- 12.30 - Competition begins
- 14.00 – Dishes to be presented
To watch the three finalists in action, register for the free-to-attend School Food Show.