Tasha from Crispin Academy, Street, Somerset created a spicy, vegetarian curry wrap for her ‘grab & go’ item. This was followed with a Thai style Quorn fish cake with a pineapple fried rice and a sweet chili sauce. To complete the tasks, Tasha delivered a banana and butterscotch banoffee style pudding.
Regional final winners will each receive a £100 cash prize. At the national final, the 2022 national winner will receive a £1,000 cash prize, the 2022 LACA School Chef of the Year trophy and an invitation to a calendar of catering industry events.
The runner-up for South West Regional heat was Michael Kearsey from Local Food Links. Michael’s ‘grab and go’ selection was a spinach, feta and Quorn parcel, wrapped in filo pastry.
His main course was Moroccan Quorn and chickpea meatballs, fragrant tomato sauce, lemon and raisin cous cous, lightly pickled carrot and mint slaw, harissa yoghurt and pomegranate seeds. Carrying on his Middle eastern theme, his dessert was a rose water custard pudding with apricot, oat and ground pumpkin seed crumb and macerated raspberries.
With the competition focus on producing healthy, nutritious meals for 11 year old primary or secondary school pupils, this is the perfect showcase for passionate school chefs to demonstrate what they do best every day.
The national final will be held at the LACA Main Event on Wednesday 6th and Thursday 7th July at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole with the overall winner announced on the evening of Thursday 7th July.