Richard Hardy wins North East & Scotland SCOTY regional final
Richard, who was competing against four other school chefs from the region, will now go onto cook in the SCOTY national final that is taking place at the LACA Main Event. The competition is run by LACA and aims to demonstrate the importance of high-quality cooking in school meals.
Richard impressed the judges with his dish called 'East meets West', a trio of Indian spiced Yorkshire puddings stuffed with tandoori chicken, lentil and squash dahl and keema turkey all served with a red onion salad and mint yoghurt. For his dessert he created a 'Slice of Paradise', a coconut biscuit base, with a coconut, lime and mango cheesecake.
Louise Wagstaffe, Premier Food’s senior culinary adviser and SCOTY head judge, said: “The flavour across all three curries was exceptional, with impressive presentation. Richard's twist on Yorkshire pudding was enjoyed by all the judges and his dessert was both fresh and delicious. We could see how it’s clearly a favourite amongst children.”
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.
Three more regional finals remain including the East of England, South East and London, which will take place on Monday 10th June at Brakes Kitchen in Reading.
School meal providers can register for free entry to the School Food Show to watch the competitors in action at the national final on the 3rd and 4th July.