Malcolm Shipton named Dysphagia Chef of the Year 2016

02 September 2016 by Katey Pigden

Malcolm Shipton, a chef at Wren Hall Nursing Home in Nottinghamshire, has been crowned Dysphagia Chef of the Year 2016.

In the first ever final, which took place yesterday (1 September) at Premier Foods' head office in St Albans, he saw off competition from four other care home chefs.

The five candidates earned their place in the final after scoring highly with their competition entries.

Shipton won with his dish of herbed chicken cannelloni with pea purée and tomato, which met the texture C descriptor for individuals able to eat a thick purée dysphagia diet. His meal included Premier Foods' brands Paxo stuffing and Oxo.

Dishes were judged by Premier Foods' dysphagia catering expert Preston Walker along with Andy Jones and Carol Harwood.

Mark Taylor, foodservice channel controller at Premier Foods, congratulated the chefs on raising the bar for foodservice.

He said: "It's about dignity in dining and trying to create something more appealing for people who through no fault of their own are unable to eat the same thing as the person sat next to them. The chefs have done a great job."

Shipton was presented with a cheque for £1,000 in vouchers for kitchen supplies or equipment for his workplace.

The other finalists were Giles Conroy, Sunrise Senior Living; Mike Baker, Random Light; Stephanie Steel, Coed Du Hall and Suzanne Corless, Random Light.

Shipton won the National Association of Care Catering (NACC) Care Cook of the Year in 2011.

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