Steven Wright is Crowned as NACC Care Chef of the Year 2026
The winner of the National Association of Care Catering (NACC)’s Care Chef of the Year 2026 is Steven Wright from Caring Homes.
Steven was crowned on Wednesday 14 October 2026 at a prize-giving ceremony attended by NACC members and guests as part of the NACC Training & Development Forum, following a nail-biting final which took place at Loughborough College.
Tristan Welch of KYN and Darren Nelson of Trymview Hall, Care UK took second and third places respectively, with all 12 finalists impressing the judges with their skill and creativity under pressure.
The judging panel, which included last year’s winner, Ilona Tomza of Porthaven Care Homes, was looking for clear nutritional understanding of the dishes being prepared, plus culinary flair through flavours, menu balance and visual appeal, as well as waste management and hygiene best practice.
The close-fought finale saw the contestants harness their talents to create a delicious, attractively presented and nutritionally balanced two-course menu in just 90 minutes. Their chosen main and dessert needed to be suitable for service users in a care setting, with the combined food cost for both courses coming in at no more than £4.50 per head based on three portions, reflecting the tight budgets care chefs often have to contend with. The menu also had to feature at least one product from headline sponsor Unilever Food Solutions’ sector-relevant catering range.
Steven’s main course of Tandoori-spiced cod with Bombay fondant potato, sautéed Indian-style spinach, crisp cauliflower bhaji beignet, curried cauliflower purée, pickled cauliflower, mango chutney and coriander oil finished with micro coriander, and Raspberry mousse with vanilla cream and cocoa crumble for dessert wowed the judges on the day. For maximum impact, he plated his main and dessert on an Artisan Crème Vitrified Fine China White Round Coupe Plate supplied by Lockhart Catering Equipment.
Said Head Judge Steve Munkley MBE: “This year’s brigade of finalists comprised the ‘best of the best’, making it extremely difficult to separate them, with only a leaf of gelatine between them! But as always, the chef that thought carefully about the brief, understands nutrition, produced only the amount that was required with no waste, and ultimately cooked the tastiest dishes took top honours.”
Tomasz Niedzwiecki of Richmond Villages was awarded Highly Commended Main for his Grilled mackerel with beetroots and fennel, whilst Tristan Welch received the Highly Commended Dessert for his Summer pudding with citrus and elderflower jelly and vanilla and honey mascarpone. The Health & Hygiene Award was won by Matthew Dodge from Loveday & Co, while overall champion Steven Wright took the Sustainability & Waste Management Award.
Neel Radia, NACC National Chair, said: “The standard of cooking was through the roof this year and I commend all our finalists for their showstopping performances. Special congratulations go to Steven, whose dishes were outstanding and something I would be delighted to be served.
“I am always humbled to hear our brilliant chefs talk about why their job means so much to them, that knowing they are truly making a difference to people’s lives gives exceptional career satisfaction. Initiatives like our Care Chef of the Year competition help to spread that message far and wide, encouraging more chefs to let their passion flourish in the care sector.
“I would like to thank all the chefs who pushed themselves to take part this year, the judges for giving their time and expertise unstintingly, and our wonderful sponsors for supporting the competition so generously.”
The finalists were:
- Nigel Cooke, Head Chef, Eastcote Park and Oakley Grange, Cinnamon Care Collection
- Matthew Dodge, Executive Chef, Loveday & Co
- Richard Glover, Group Catering Manager, Ashbourne Lodge Care Home, Milford Care
- Gareth Johns, Chef, Heathland House, Cinnamon Care Collection
- Majlinda Ndoj, Chef Manager, Birchstone Care, White Oaks (Compass Group UK & I)
- Darren Nelson, Head Chef, Trymview Hall, Care UK
- Max Neumann, Head Chef, PJ Care
- Tomasz Niedzwiecki, Chef Manager, Richmond Villages (part of Bupa)
- Giuseppe Priolo, Head Chef, Cinnamon Care Collection
- Graham Watson, Head Chef, Lauder Lodge, Care UK
- Tristan Welch, Executive Chef, KYN
- Steven Wright, Group Executive Chef, Caring Homes
Unilever Food Solutions was once again the main sponsor for the competition, alongside longstanding event sponsor the Worshipful Company of Cooks, Rational UK as the Heavy Equipment Sponsor, Lockhart Catering Equipment as the Crockery and Jackets Sponsor and Procurement for Care as the Procurement Sponsor for 2026.
Kate Bailey, National Account Manager, Unilever Food Solutions, said: “At Unilever Food Solutions, we’re proud to support the NACC Care Chef of the Year competition and the incredible talent within the care catering sector. Throughout the competition, we’ve been inspired by the passion, creativity and dedication shown by the finalists, and by their commitment to delivering enjoyable dining experiences for those in their care. We would like to congratulate all of this year’s finalists.”
