HC-One Catering Colleagues Gear Up For Chef Of The Year Competition
HC-One’s Executive Chef and Nutrition & Hydration Lead, Chris Bonner will be leading a team of judges including Ben Ross from Unox, Jamie Clews from Metcalf, and Nick Vardis from Foodbuy, to judge and shortlist 12 talented catering semi-finalists from the first stage of the competition at the end of April. The chosen 12 will then progress to the second stage of the competition which will be a semi-final live cook off taking place in Leeds on June 18.
The semi-finalists will be invited to bring their dishes to life in front of a panel of selected judges. The semi-finalists will receive support and mentorship from their HC-One Group Development Chefs to help them to perfect their skills and elevate their dishes further.
Six finalists from the second stage of the competition will then progress to the third and final stage of the competition, the grand finale. The six finalists will go head-to-head at a prestigious location on July 24, where one of the six finalists will be crowned the winner of the first HC-One Chef of the Year competition.
The winner of the HC-One Chef of the Year competition will receive a truly unforgettable prize – a trip to a destination famous for its rich culinary heritage, breath-taking views, providing the winning colleague the opportunity to indulge in some of the world’s most exquisite cuisine themselves in a top secret yet to be announced destination. The HC-One Chef of the Year competition is kindly being supported and sponsored by EF-Group, Unox, Contiquip, Lockharts and Nestle.
The judges have a set criteria that they will be assessing candidates on, including the nutritional value and suitability for a care setting, ensuring dishes meet residents’ dietary needs, are balanced, and cater to special requirements such as texture-modified diets including the Level 5 Minced and Moist alternative.
Hydration and wellbeing will also be judged as part of the competition criteria where judges will consider how the dish contributes to the hydration and overall wellbeing of residents. Catering colleagues will also be assessed on how they minimise waste, sustainability, and creatively incorporate surplus ingredients into their dish.
Mark Meacham, Head of Catering and Housekeeping Support Services at HC-One, said:
“We are proud to be launching HC-One’s Chef of the Year competition for the first year. We are looking forward to seeing the incredible entries from our catering colleagues who go the extra mile to create exceptional meals.
“The competition provides a fantastic opportunity for our HC-One catering colleagues to be inspired and receive recognition for their amazing culinary talents they showcase in our care homes day in day out and celebrate the dedication of our culinary colleagues.
“Working in catering within the care sector is highly rewarding – there’s great career progression, flexible working hours and you get to play a vital role in maintaining the health and wellbeing of residents.”
