She cooked fresh pasta with a sausage and tomato sauce, served with crispy ham and courgette followed by a vegan chocolate raspberry cake, with vegan cream and a dusting of freeze dried raspberries.
School chefs have an hour and 15 minutes to prepare, cook and serve four portions of a two course meal suitable for serving en masse to 11-year-olds. The food cost for one main course and dessert must not exceed £1.40.
Competitors were tasked with creating a main meal, using at least one Quorn product, alongside a 50% fruit-based dessert that should reflect the school food standards.
The SCOTY competition aims to showcase the high quality of school meals and the contribution they make to the health and wellbeing of children.
In addition to the kudos of winning the national title, the 2021 champion will receive a £1,000 cash prize and the LACA 2021 School Chef of the Year trophy. The overall winner will also be awarded a work experience trip and an invitation to a calendar of high profile catering industry engagements. The national second and third place winners will receive cash prizes of £500 and £300 respectively.
SCOTY regional finals schedule:
- South West, Tuesday 29th June, Weston College
- East Midlands, Tuesday 6th July, Brooksby Melton College (morning)
- West Midlands, Tuesday 6th July, Brooksby Melton College (afternoon)
- East of England, Wednesday 7th July, Cambridge Regional College
- Yorkshire & Humber, Friday 16th July, Westfield Primary School in York
- South East, Thursday 16th September, Bidfood HO in Slough
The first place winners from these heats will compete as their region’s champion at the 2021 national final scheduled for 12 and 13 October in Birmingham.
School caterers and school meal providers can register for free entry to the LACA School Food Show in October to watch the live final.