Impact Food Group’s Erin Ward wins School Chef of the Year 2025

Erin Ward from Impact Food Group has scooped the 2025 School Chef of the Year (SCOTY) title after beating 11 other competitors to the honour.

 

The contest’s final was held during school caterers’ association LACA’s Main Event at Hilton Birmingham Metropole on 8-9 July. The competition aims to showcase the hard work of individuals around the country who ensure that schoolchildren are fed hot, healthy and nutritious school meals.

 

Ward, who works at Holmer Green School in Buckinghamshire, impressed judges with her pork bao bun with rainbow slaw and spring onion sauce, which minimised waste by using all the skins and peels from the carrots, ginger and spring onions.

 

Her dessert course was a sweet nachos dish with a lime mousse, fruit salsa and sweet wholemeal chips.

 

Ward dedicated her win to her father’s memory, and revealed it was the first savoury culinary competition she’d participated in. The inspiration behind her menu was trying to get her school’s pupils to try new and nutritious food: “I was hoping to get them excited about it, which I did – when we tried it at school, both courses sold out,” she said.

 

The competition asks chefs to prepare, cook and present four portions of a main course and dessert with a total food cost of £1.70 per head in 90 minutes that meet the School Food Standards and Eat Well Guide.

 

Ward told The Caterer she was “overwhelmed” with her victory and said meeting the strict cost requirements was her biggest challenge.

 

As well as the SCOTY trophy, she wins a £1,000 cash prize and an invitation to a calendar of catering industry events.

 

This is the second year in a row that a wildcard entry has gone on to lift the SCOTY trophy following Jennifer Brown’s success last year. Ward finished as the runner-up in the East of England regional final, which took place in March.

 

In second place was Ben Finn from St Leonards Comprehensive School (Bishop Wilkinson Catholic Education Trust) and third place went to Malachy Pharncote-Rowe from Ponteland School (Pele Trust). Second and third place, who both came from the North East regional SCOTY heat, received £500 and £300 respectively.

 

Another Impact Food Group representative triumphed in this year’s LACA Finishing Touches Salon Culinaire, with Rebecca Britton announced as the Best in Show winner for her 50% Fruit Dessert.

 

Andre Alto from Kings Norton Girls School (OCS Group) in Birmingham won the Grab ‘N’ Go Challenge following a live cook-off against two other school chefs at the Main Event.

 

Chefs were tasked to cook four portions of a grab and go meal or breaktime savoury snack with a total cost per head of 80p in just 40 minutes. Alto’s winning dish was a longganisa rice burger.

 

Last night (9 July) also saw LACA’s Awards for Excellence 2025 presented across 12 categories, celebrating individuals and teams who continue to make a ‘real difference’ to education catering and school food.

 

The winners were:

 

Catering Business of the Year Award: Impact Food Group

 

Primary School Catering Team Award: Woodlands School, Sefton Council

 

Secondary School Catering Team Award: Telford Langley Catering Team – Telford and Wrekin Council

 

Unsung Hero Award: Sonia Blanchard– Blaenau Gwent CBC and Gillian Morris – Blaenau Gwent CBC

 

Marketing Award: CATERed

 

Allergy Management Award: Nourish Contract Catering – Food Development Team

 

Apprentice/Trainee Award: Dilyana Merev – Bassingbourn Village College/IFG

 

Nan Berger Memorial Award: Cardiff Council

 

Roger Davis Outstanding Achievement Award: Susan Vuli – Shire Services

 

Outstanding Supplier of the Year Award: McCain Foods

 

Region of the Year: Yorkshire & Humberside

 

Chair’s Award: Katie Palmer from Foodsense Wales and Emma Holmes from Cardiff & Vale University Health Board