The National Association of Care Catering (NACC) has launched the NACC Care Chef of the Year 2020 competition.
Entries are now open and the search for the best chef working in the care sector has officially begun.
Chefs and cooks working across the care sector – from care homes, day centres, lunch clubs and meals on wheels services to local authorities and other care organisations, including hospices – can enter the prestigious culinary competition that recognises their talent and sector-specific knowledge and skills.
The entry brochure can be downloaded at www.thenacc.co.uk and the deadline for entries is 31 January 2020.
Now in its 21st year, the NACC Care Chef of the Year competition is proudly supported by main sponsor Premier Foods and the Worshipful Company of Cooks.
Entrants are challenged to create a two-course menu (main and dessert) that is suitable for people in a care setting. The combined food cost for both courses should be no more than £2.25 per head based on three portions and it must be nutritionally balanced. The menu must also incorporate one of the Premier Foods products listed in the competition entry brochure.
All paper entries will be judged by a central judging panel and successful chefs will be invited to compete at the regional heats in March 2020. Here they will have 90 minutes to produce their dishes and demonstrate their skill set and knowledge under the watchful eye of the competition judges.
The judges will be looking for clear nutritional understanding of the foods they are using and how they benefit their clientele, plus culinary flair through flavours, menu balance, execution and presentation.
The two highest-scoring competitors from each regional heat will secure a place in the national final on Wednesday 3 June 2020 at Stratford-upon-Avon College.
Sue Cawthray, National Chair of the NACC, said, “The launch of the NACC Care Chef of the Year competition is always very exciting. There are many highly-skilled, talented and knowledgeable chefs working in the care sector so we’re really looking forward to seeing what the 2020 competition entrants create.
“One of the NACC’s objectives is to raise awareness of care catering and promote it as an exciting and rewarding career that nurtures and develops chefs.
'The NACC Care Chef of the Year competition is a fantastic showcase that puts a spotlight on culinary excellence within the sector and gives chefs the opportunity to push boundaries and develop both professionally and personally.
'The competition has created fantastic opportunities for past winners, so I encourage all care chefs to step up and enter and make 2020 their year!”
Mark Taylor, Customer Controller at Premier Foods, commented, “We can’t believe the 2020 competition has rolled around already, the standard of entries that we’ve seen over the years has been incredible and really showcases the high calibre of talent in care catering.
'Good luck to all those putting themselves forward this year. Our top tip is to remember to think about all factors when putting together your entry including the budget and nutrition.
'Think outside of the box in terms of your dish - it’s important that you strike a balance between being innovative but creating something that is suitable for the residents and environment in which you are catering for.
'We look forward to the final of this competition as it’s important to celebrate the industry given food plays a big part in care residents’ lives from both a nutrition and experience perspective.”
NACC Care Chef of the Year 2019 winner, Martin McKee, is pictured.