Newsroom Archive

The competition is the first of its type and has attracted sponsorship from Unilever.

Caterers in both primary and secondary schools across the borough have been challenged with creating a cost effective meal suitable to be served up in schools.

Each entrant has just two hours to serve up a main course and a desert with a maximum budget of £1.27.  Following the first heat Rebecca Bowdler and Sharon Devall will go through to the final at Ercall Wood Technology College on the 12 October 2017.  The food that all 3 contestants created was of a high standard and well within budget.

Councillor Lee Carter, Telford & Wrekin Council’s cabinet member for Service Delivery and one of the judges of the Grand Final, said: “This is a fantastic way of celebrating the talents of the wonderful people who work in all the school kitchens across the borough.

“The intention is that this will become an annual event which will gradually grow in size. I am looking forward to tasting the delicious food that this year’s contestants will doubtless serve up and also to choosing the 2017 Chef of the Year.”

The winner will receive a choice of a year’s gym subscription or a year’s golf membership donated by Aspirations, a personalised chef’s jacket and a Unilever hamper.

Each chef has to cook six servings of both their main course and desert for judges to assess based on quality, presentation, compliance with school food standards, budget and ability to replicate.

The judging panel for the heat included Kate Lakey of Unilever, council assistant director Fliss Mercer, school catering manager Lorna Hicks, Stuart Davidson from the council’s leisure team and a school representative.

The judging panel for the finals include a school representative, the council’s Managing Director Richard Partington, the council’s Director of Customer, Neighbourhood and Well-being Services Jonathan Rowe, the council’s cabinet member for Service Delivery Councillor Lee Carter and two representatives of Unilever.