The action unfolded today at the Barking & Dagenham Technical Skills Academy when 12 chefs from the care sector showcased their culinary talent, knowledge and dedication in front of industry colleagues, associations and media in 90 minutes of intense competition.
Smith emerged triumphant with a winning menu of smoked mackerel frittata, followed by lemon posset with hemp thins and berries.
Giles Conroy of Sunrise Senior Living of Bramhall, Stockport, claimed second place and Highly Commended Main Course, with Gareth O’Hara of Sunrise Senior Living of Cardiff taking third place and Becky Allcorn from Catering Academy Ltd at Rotary Lodge, Worthing, securing the Highly Commended Dessert prize.
Neel Radia, chair of the NACC, said: “Congratulations to Jennie-May on her incredible and deserved win, and to all the finalists for a simply thrilling final.
“This competition really is fantastic. It raises the profile of care catering as a rewarding and viable career choice, but most importantly it gives chefs working in the care sector a rare opportunity to shine and showcase the outstanding talents they possess.
“All 12 finalists truly shone and left the judges and audience with no doubt that care catering requires real skill, knowledge, culinary expertise and passion.
“They are genuine ambassadors for the sector and their colleagues who deliver excellence on a daily basis.
“This year we doubled the size of the national final and the standards most definitely grew too, with everybody upping the ante. We witnessed a master class in care catering, featuring delicious and appealing menus that showed creativity, aptitude, and a firm grasp of the fundamentals of nutrition, cost and the specific and varied needs of service users.”
One of the longest-standing independent recipe competitions in the UK, the NACC Care Cook of the Year competition aims to raise the profile of the care catering sector and champions those working within it.
Open to all chefs and cooks in the care sector (both NACC members and non-members), entrants are required to create a delicious and nutritionally balanced two-course menu, main and dessert, suitable for service users in a care setting and with a total food cost of no more than £1.50 per head based on four portions.
In just 90 minutes they are tasked with producing a first-class menu that demonstrates innovation, costing ability, suitability for the environment, adherence to nutrition guidelines, great taste, and overall menu balance.
The competition is supported by the Worshipful Company of Cooks, Brakes, Premier Foods, Rational, Robot Coupe UK Ltd and Pritchitts.