Video: Whitby dinner lady crowned best school chef

Katherine Breckon, of West Cliff Primary School, triumphed over two other competitors in the final of the Yorkshire and Humber School Chef of the Year 2014.

After winning the regional final in Doncaster yesterday she will now compete against finalists from ten other regions as part of the scheme organised by the Lead Association for Catering in Education (LACA).

Mrs Breckon served up a main course described as ‘East Meets West’, consisting of turkey bites with sweet and sour sauce, scented rice and warmed summer vegetables.

Her dessert was a pastry case filled with apples and caramel served with vanilla sauce.

Her fellow finalists were highly commended by judges. Kevin Hardman from Maltby Academy in Rotherham was praised for his main course dish ‘Best of British Pork’ while Alison Jones from Toll Bar Primary School in Doncaster was honoured for her dessert ‘Rhubarb Panna Cotta Crunch with Raspberry Milk Shake’.

The annual competition aims to highlight the quality of school meals to parents and the important contribution they can make to the health and wellbeing of children.

Each entrant is required to produce, in one-and-a-half hours, a healthy and balanced two-course meal of a main course and dessert that would appeal to 11-year-olds. A maximum of £1.60 is allowed for a single meal.

Anne Bull, LACA chairwoman, said: “LACA School Chef of the Year continues to represent a positive way of communicating the benefits of supporting a high-quality school meals service.

“Parents and the wider community should be reassured that our talented front line staff in schools not only prepare tasty, innovative and creative dishes to tempt the taste buds of discerning children and young people but also nutritious school meals.”