Schools chef competition moves towards the finals

Regional heats of the 10th School Chef of the Year competition will reach a climax over next few weeks.

So far, half of the regional heats have taken place, leaving four more to complete selections for the finals in March next year.

The first four chefs through are Odette Machodo, of Hackbridge Primary School, who took the London and South-east title. Glenys Rees, of Brynsaron County Primary School, won through in Wales. Angelina Boddy, of St Brendan's sixth form college, saw off the challengers in the South-west and the north-west winner was Tracey Moore of Woodfall Neston Infants School.

Two heats, in north-east England and Scotland, will be settled this week, and the Anglia round takes place next week.

The Eastern area final has been postponed until January.

School caterers have to devise menus that meet minimum nutritional standards for a main course and a desert and cost only 80p to produce. They can be made up of poultry, meat, fish and non-meat proteins.