Chef from Brockley wins LACA schools competition

Deloris Brown from Crofton School in Brockley, south-east London, has walked away with the title of School Chef of the Year in the 2002 competition.

Organised by the Local Authority Caterers Association (LACA), with the assistance of sponsor Nestlé Foodservices, the competition aims to recognise those craft skills that have consigned the dated image of the "dinner lady" to the dustbin. It is also designed to raise awareness of the stricter nutritional regulations now in force at schools.

The final, which took place last month at the Birmingham College of Food, Tourism and Creative Studies, saw a victorious Brown competing against seven other regional finalists in a live cook-off. Chefs were required to produce a two-course meal in 90 minutes - suitable for 11-year-olds and, crucially, costing not more than 80p for both courses - including two products (of the competitor's choice) from the Nestlé Foodservices range.

For her winning meal, Brown cooked calypso chicken and queen of puddings. Brown says her choice of a lightly curried chicken cooked in coconut milk reflected partly her own culinary roots, but also the diversity of cultures in her school.

"We have a wide cultural mix and chicken appears in every meat-eating culture," Brown commented. "I like to give food interesting names because it makes the children curious. Calypso sounds like fun."

While her chosen dessert might appear to be a traditional English pud, Brown said that it still had other cultural influences with the use of kiwi fruit, adding the all-important element of freshness to the combination.

The judges, who were looking for versatility as well as a knowledge of high-street trends, included Steve Love, business development chef at Nestlé Foodservices, dietitian Jasmine Challis and - perhaps most demanding of all - two 11-year-olds from local schools around Birmingham.

Source: Caterer & Hotelkeeper magazine, 12 - 18 December 2002