Chandler Court chef cooks up a storm in national competition

Home news

Oct 23, 2018

Chandler Court is celebrating after it was announced that a team member has reached the final round of a Chef of the Year competition.  

Lorraine Robinson, second chef at Chandler Court, competed against the culinary talents of chefs from around the country to be in with a chance of winning the coveted title in Care UK’s national competition.

To secure her place as a finalist, Lorraine was challenged to prepare a two-course lunch for four people in 90 minutes, ensuring that the menu would appeal to residents.

Lorraine prepared a main and dessert for the judges. The first course comprised of sea bream served with a celeriac and chorizo sauce, roasted butternut squash and pepper, steamed carrots, courgette batons, and a herb potato and onion rosti. For pudding, Lorraine prepared a warm honey and fig tart served with a cheesy chocolate cream. 

The dishes were then presented to a panel of judges which also included residents, who scored each dish based on the presentation, nutrition, use of products, taste and texture.

After being named one of four finalists, Lorraine said: “I am delighted that my cooking has been praised by the judges. The level of competition was really high this year, with some impressive skills on display, but I knew my dishes were very popular with the residents at Chandler Court, so I was confident the judges would appreciate them too.

“I love experimenting and creating new dishes for the residents to enjoy, and the final round should be the perfect opportunity to showcase my creativity.”

Joanne Gill, home manager at Chandler Court, added: “The Chef of the Year competition is a brilliant opportunity for the chefs at Care UK to showcase their skills and expertise. We are very lucky to count Lorraine as one of our team members here at Chandler Court, and everyone is thrilled to see her culinary talent being recongised. We all have our fingers crossed that she will walk away as the winner.” 

The four finalists will compete to be crowned Care UK’s Chef of the Year in November.