Nursing Home Chef Crowned Premier Foods ‘Dysphagia Chef Of The Year 2016’
Premier Foods has announced that Malcolm Shipton, of Wren Hall Nursing Home in Selston, has been crowned its Dysphagia Chef of the Year 2016. The final, which took the form of a competitive cook-off, was held on 1st September at the Premier Foods head office in St. Albans in front of a live audience. Competing against four other caterers for the title, Malcolm won with his Herbed Chicken Cannelloni.
Mark Taylor, Foodservice Channel Controller for Premier Foods, comments: “All of the finalists’ dishes were of exceptional standard, but there can only be one winner – on behalf of everyone at Premier Foods I would like to wish Malcolm huge congratulations on his achievement. This competition has showcased the skill and creativity in the healthcare industry, and highlights the hard work and talent that is required to provide texture modified meals. The role of these caterers is fundamental in ensuring dignity in dining for dysphagia sufferers.”
The Dysphagia Chef of the Year competition tasked care caterers with the challenge of developing two recipes, one main and one dessert, suitable for a dysphagia sufferer. Recipes had to meet specific requirements based on current UK standards developed by the National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA).
The judges – Andy Jones, Chair of PS100; Carol Harwood, former training and standards manager at Hertfordshire Catering Ltd.; and Preston Walker, Premier Foods’ dysphagia catering expert – had the tough task of choosing an overall winner from the five finalists. Malcolm received high scores for presentation, taste and texture with judges praising him for his innovative approach towards recreating a classic pasta dish. He will receive £1,000 worth of kitchen supplies/equipment for Wren Hall Nursing Home.
Preston Walker comments: “We were all extremely impressed with the innovation and skill demonstrated by the finalists. It was an incredibly tough decision, but Malcolm’s dish really stood out to us. It’s a real challenge to make pasta dishes suitable for a texture modified diet, and Malcolm’s Cannelloni not only hit the mark in terms of texture and presentation, but the flavour on the plate was spot on.”
For more information about Premier Foods’ leading Healthcare Solutions Programme, visit www.premierfoodservice.co.uk
