A CHEF from Burntwood has been crowned the national winner of a culinary contest.
Jake Walker-Macey, head chef at Hammerwich Hall Care Home, came out on top in the Advinia Healthcare Star Chef of the Year Awards.
The 23-year-old was the youngest competitor, but wowed judges with his chicken and leek pie, followed by raspberry and peach turnover to take the title ahead of five other regional finalists.
Jake said:
“To win is absolutely amazing – I didn’t expect it and I was speechless.
“I love my job, which is so different to what I did before when I worked in restaurants. I never had the chance to compete in any sort of competition, so to win my first ever one feels fantastic.”
The finals were held in Manchester, with judges including culinary experts, chefs and residents from the nearby Bedford Care Home in the city.
Jake said:
“It was important to me to choose dishes that I know the residents at Hammerwich Hall love and represent the hearty, home-cooked food they enjoy.
“It was amazing to see the smiles on the judges’ faces – and one chap said he wasn’t going to let his plate go until it was empty.
“Getting that sort of feedback from residents means a lot. One of the best things about my job is that I get the time to talk to residents and find out what they enjoy eating, as well as meeting their nutritional needs.
“I find it very rewarding to support them, so I’m ecstatic to take the title back to Hammerwich Hall.”
