Suzanne Duncan named School Chef of the Year 2010

Suzanne Duncan has been named School Chef of the Year 2010.

Duncan, who is employed by North Ayrshire council, works at the Irvine Royal Academy, Irvine, Scotland. She was voted Britain’s top school chef by a panel of judges at the national final held at Sheffield City College last night, and the winners were announced at a breakfast reception held this morning.

Her winning entry was a main course of turkey kebabs with summer salsa and a mint yoghurt dip and flat bread followed by a dessert of strawberry, rhubarb & ginger layered cheesecake.

On winning the national title, Suzanne Duncan said: “I was totally stunned to win.  It was such an honour to be competing alongside such talented people.  They were all so professional and I couldn’t believe the standard.  To win against this was incredible and a great accolade”.

Suzanne Duncan with her winning dishes and Steve Oram, chair of the judging panel

Elizabeth Bourbonneux of Dickens Heath Community School, Solihull, became the first winner of the new marketing award, which was introduced for the first time this year to acknowledge the creativity and efforts put into the display tables produced by the finalists as a backdrop to their dishes.

The winner of the highly commended main course prize was Tanya Watkin of Eaton Bray Lower School, Dunstable for her main course of lamb and filo scrunchy.  

The winner of the highly commended dessert was Katherine Breckon for her Howard’s Delight – lemon cheesecake, ginger biscuit base, raspberries finished with chocolate cuff, sugar twist and chocolate sauce. Breckon works at West Cliff Primary School in Whitby, North Yorkshire.

The Competition is organised annually by the Local Authority Caterers Association (LACA) and is sponsored by Maggi from Nestlé Professional.  

School caterers are deeply concerned about their ability to sustain a quality school meals service if the School Lunch Grant is discontinued. Funding for the school meals service is due to end in March 2011. LACA, in partnership with Caterer and Hotelkeeper, have launched the School Meals Matter campaign calling on the government-elect to sustain the School Lunch Grant or risk undoing five years of positive improvements in school meals.  

Sign the petition now   

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LACA School Chef of the Year 2007 revealed >>

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