Stockport NHS finalists for ‘Chefs of the Year’

Two Stockport chefs from Stepping Hill Hospital’s catering team have been named as finalists in a competition to find the best NHS chefs in the country.

Assistant head chef Ian Richards and apprentice assistant head chef Joe Omolo (pictured) entered this year’s national Chef of the Year competition earlier in the summer at Trafford College, part of the Trafford & Stockport College Group.

Regional heats took place across the country, where pairs of competitors produced a low-carbon, three-course meal within a budget of £6-8.

Courses had strict requirements. One course was allergen free, and another was plant-based. The main course had a minimum requirement of 26 g protein per portion and was to be served hot; the dessert had to have 50% fruit content.

Teams also had to provide a breakdown of the cost of all ingredients and the nutritional value of the dishes.

Ian and Joe impressed the judges enough to make it to the final, where they will be joining seven other finalist teams from across the country.  They will join competitors participating in a mentoring event on 16^th to 18^th  September in Cannock before the contest’s culmination at the Grand hotel in York on 20^th to 24^th October.

The NHS Chef of the Year competition is run annually by NHS England to celebrate the best in health service catering from across the country. The idea is to showcase the high standards in nutrition, taste and sustainability which can be achieved in the NHS across the nation.

Stockport NHS Foundation Trust’s catering team have had several previous successes in the competition. In 2022, then-assistant head chefs Erica Bell and Shelley Pearson-Smith were the overall national winners, and last year assistant head chefs Slavka Vaysilova and Michelle Robinson were finalists.

Philip Shelley, NHS England national lead for food, said:

“The NHS Chef of the Year celebrates the talent, passion and impact of NHS catering professionals. It’s a unique platform where chefs from across the health service in England compete to create delicious, nutritious and budget-conscious meals that can be delivered in real NHS settings.

“More than just a contest, it’s a showcase of innovation in hospital food and a powerful way to promote careers in NHS catering — an often overlooked but essential part of patient care and recovery.”

Stockport NHS Foundation Trust Support Services Manager (Catering) Erica Bell said:

“Everyone in the team is so proud that Ian and Joe have made it to the final. We know just how hard they will have had to work for this from previous experience, and they’ve clearly stepped up and triumphed here. Good luck for the final Ian and Joe!”