BBC begins search for Cook of the Year

The award is for outstanding school chefs, community kitchen volunteers, hospital chefs, and care home caterers.

Last year’s winner was Dee Woods, a volunteer chef at the Granville Community Kitchen in Kilburn, north London. Dee provides free meals, gives cookery lessons and encourages people to sit down and share a meal together.

Other winners include prison caterer Al Crisci who opened the Clink restaurant, encouraging inmates to pursue careers in food, and school chef Jeanette Orrey who recieved an MBE in 2012 for her services to school food.

Nominations are open until January 29th and if your nomination is successful, finalists will be visited by judges Allegra McEvedy and Stefan Gates.