The class is organised by the Hospital Caterers Assocaition (HCA) and the winners automatically become the HCA’s Hospital Chefs of the Year. It is sponsored by Hobart Cooking Solutions and the Worshipful Company of Cooks.
This year’s winning team of Bela Szekeres and Gabor Rajhona cooked a main course of pan-fried fillet of mackerel marinated in turmeric and orange, served with tomato and avocado salsa and Kentish new potatoes followed by a dessert of rice pudding with British strawberry compote.
Team’s have a maximum budget of £1.95 for a two-course meal suitable for one person.
Szekeres, a senior chef de partie, said: “Winning was a great moment for us and we share this with our colleagues at The London Clinic.
“We are really pleased to have won with dishes that are seasonal, sustainably sourced, British and as locally sourced as possible and would be well suited to a patient in hospital.”
Commis chef Rajhona added: “We have given special thought about making our dishes suitable for our patients as some may have to eat in bed with only the use of one hand.
“Our aim was to prepare two specially prepared and well cooked dishes, using great local ingredients that were simple, nutritious, colourful and tasty.”
HCA chairman Andy Jones said: “Hospital catering managers have not needed any convincing about the high standard of craft skills amongst our front line chefs.
“The achievements of this year’s competitors pays testament to their commitment, their passion and their ability to stand shoulder to shoulder with the very best of the chefs in the wider catering fraternity.”
The three Bronze award winners were Leejo George and Jimmichen George, Salisbury District Hospital, Alex Lacey-Moody and Daniel Hampton, Royal Hampshire County Hospital, Winchester and Christian Bull and Janet Milovanic, Royal Oldham Hospital (Pennine Acute Trust).
Certificates of Merit went to Sendil S. Keralasubramanian and Chris Chidarikire, Salisbury District Hospital and David Smith and James Bayliss, Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
A Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) Hygiene Award Certificate was presented to Hollie Atkinson and Helen Ball, Birmingham & Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust.