Award winning staff
Over the years we have been given many awards by LACA (Lead Association for Catering in Education).
Each year we enter school chef of the year for London and the South east. We take these competitions very seriously and year on year we are learning. Our hope each year is for our Chef to win the nationally acclaimed prize of School Chef of the Year.
In February 2016 Shereene Weston from John Ball school won the regional final and competed in the National finals in March 2016.
We are very happy to announce Shereene won 3rd Place in the National finals.
Shereene’s winning dish
Her dish for the final was a Chicken Rundown with Plantain Mash and Steamed Greens followed by Spiced Pineapple Cake with a Lime Cream dish, which won “Highly Commended Desert” at the awards ceremony in Stratford-upon-Avon.
Her Caribbean roots fused with British culture inspire the dishes, which she has tried out with the kids at school and received fantastic feedback.
When asked about the final, Shereen said;
"I am overwhelmed at winning the London finals and retaining my title for the 3rd year running. I enjoy the accolade, the sense of pride and the effort I put in on a daily basis working for Chartwells to feed the children at John Ball Primary School. No longer can a school chef hide in the kitchen behind processed food, and today’s expectation is of fresh, high quality food together with outstanding service. I am looking forward to the national finals to showcase my modern Caribbean menu and wow the judges with my exciting range of flavours."
