HC-One launches its first Chef of the Year competition
The judges will be assessing candidates on the nutritional value and suitability of their dishes for a care setting and how well they meets residents’ dietary needs
Catering colleagues at one of the UK’s leading care providers are gearing up to take part in the inaugural edition of a new Chef of the Year competition.
Mark Meacham, head of catering and housekeeping support services at HC-One, explains: “We are proud to be launching HC-One’s Chef of the Year competition for the first time. 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 the amazing culinary talents they showcase in our care homes day in day out”.
The competition, which offers catering colleagues at HC-One an opportunity to showcase their skills, creativity, and passion for preparing high-quality and nutritious meals for residents living in HC-One care homes, will see entrants progress through three exciting stages.
The competition
The first stage will see them submitting their signature dishes and explaining why it deserves to win. The signature dish must be a regular meal offered at the home as well as a Level 5 Minced and Moist alternative to cater for residents with specific requirements.
HC-One’s executive chef and nutrition and 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 semi-finalists from the first stage of the competition at the end of April. The chosen 12 will then progress to the second stage, which will take the form of a semi-final live cook off in Leeds on 18th June.
The semi-finalists will be invited to recreate their dishes in front of a panel of selected judges, while receiving support and mentorship from their HC-One group development chefs who will 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 where they will go head-to-head at a prestigious location on 24th July where the winner will be crowned.
He or she will receive a truly unforgettable prize – a trip to a destination famous for its rich culinary heritage and breath-taking views, which will provide them with the opportunity to indulge in some of the world’s most exquisite cuisine at a secret destination. The competition is being supported and sponsored by EF-Group, Unox, Contiquip, Lockharts and Nestle.
The judging criteria
The judges will be assessing candidates on the nutritional value and suitability of their dishes for a care setting, how well it meets residents’ dietary needs, plus their skill at catering for special requirements, such as texture-modified diets including the Level 5 Minced and Moist alternative.
In addition, the judges will be looking at the creativity and presentation of the dishes, as well as judging their taste and flavour, while also considering 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. The final aspect of the judging criteria is food hygiene and kitchen practices and during the live cook off stages, contestants will be judged on cleanliness and safe preparation techniques.
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