The 2025 LACA School Chef of the Year competition, is sponsored by Bisto, from Premier Foods. Regional final winners will each receive a £100 cash prize. The SCOTY competition aims to showcase the great work that school chefs do every day to feed children all over the country a hot, healthy and nutritious meal.
The SCOTY national final will take place at the LACA Main Event in July. The 2025 national winner will receive a £1,000 cash prize plus a work experience trip, the 2025 LACA School Chef of the Year trophy and an invitation to a calendar of catering industry events. Second and third place in the competition will receive £500 and £300 respectively.
The main course must include one Bisto product from the list provided. Competitors are permitted to use more than one Premier Foods product in their main course if it suits the dish. The dessert should be based on 50% fruit content and include one item from the list of Premier Foods dessert products provided.
Competitors must prepare, cook and present four portions of a main course and dessert with a total food cost of £1.70 per head in 90 minutes that meet the School Food Standards and Eat Well Guide.
The four school chefs advancing to the SCOTY final are:
- Michael Tafft, Telford Langley Secondary School (Telford & Wrekin Council): His main course was Chicken Burrito Bowl: Paprika chicken with garlic & chilli black beans, rice with salsa, soured cream sauce. For dessert he produced Beetroot and Black Bean Brownie: Gooey brownie served with custard and forest fruit compote.
- Steven Rhodes-Heaton, from Elton High School (Bury Metropolitan Borough Council): For his main course he cooked Tandoori chicken served with savory rice, pitta and yoghurt and mint sauce. Rhodes-Heaton created a home-made freshly baked apple and cinnamon crumble with custard for his dessert.
- Joanne Cox, from Ysgol Y Craig (Chartwells): For her main course Cox produced Ravioli filled with roasted butternut squash, pepper, chickpeas and a ricotta cheese and spinach. For her dessert she made a deconstructed lemon meringue served with fresh fruit.
- Charlotte Boulton, from Northfield Junior School (Nottinghamshire Council Council): Boulton made gently spiced Yorkshire pudding, filled with roasted Mediterranean veg, chicken and smokey mayo for her main course and a raspberry crumble topped with lemon crème fraiche for her dessert.
School meal providers can register for free entry to the School Food Show to watch the national finalists in action.