Two Chefs from East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust have fought off competition to be crowned Regional NHS Chef of the Year, in the first of seven heats held in Manchester last week.
Kurt Dillon and Dylan Lucas, both Chefs at Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital, cooked up a storm to bag the top spot, winning both the ‘Chef of the Year’ accolade and the prize for best plant-based dish on the day. The win comes after Sinto Jose and Sanish Thomas, who are both also Chefs at Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital, were crowned National NHS Chefs of the Year 2021 by baking legend and Great British Bake Off star Prue Leith, when the competition launched last year.
During the event, each team had 90 minutes to prepare, cook and present three portions of each dish, which had to be suitable for generic NHS patients and costing no more than £5-6 for the three-course meal. The meal also had to reflect Government Buying Standards for Food and Catering Services, the Department of Health and Social Care's Obesity Strategy and nutritionally balanced in accordance with the British Dietetic Association (BDA) guidance.
Kurt and Dylan had a recipe for success with their healthy allergen-free dishes with their starter of homemade vegan falafel with lemon and vegan mayonnaise dressing picking up the ‘best plant-based dish’ prize.
Jijo Mathew, Food Safety and Quality Assurance Manager at the Trust, attended the competition with the duo after mentoring and coaching them before the competition began.
He said: “I am incredibly proud of Dylan and Kurt and the entire team for winning under the added pressure of ELHT being the defending champions of the competition. The food was exceptional and is a reflection of what can be achieved in the NHS.
“The competition helps recognise the excellence that we provide and helps us drive the standards of our menus, skills, training and resources which will inevitably add to the profile of excellent patient care we provide at ELHT."
The winning dishes also included salmon supreme with duchess potatoes and pea puree, followed by a fresh fruit homemade tart with crème patisserie for dessert.
Following their win, Dylan said: “We were both so excited when we won and were relieved after all the hard work we both put in. It’s an extremely hard competition with talented chefs and to be able to come out on top is a proud moment for us both. We are going to work harder for the finals and hopefully we can bring home the win for a second time in London.”
Kurt added: “I’m currently training towards a chef qualification so I was excited for the challenge and the new skills I could learn along the way. I am grateful for how our managers have supported us throughout the challenges and it have given me time to practice inside work, giving me the confidence to enter the competition.”
The pair will now head to London in October for a mentoring event ahead of the national final which will include networking with celebrity chefs, attending practical sessions to help develop their entries for the finals and working with their mentors.
