Waterlooville Care Home Chef is Crowned Care Chef of the Year

Samuel was one of 12 chefs nationwide – all who had won their regional heats – to compete for the national title. The chefs were given 90 minutes to create an appealing, delicious and nutritious two-course menu appropriate for people in a care setting. The combined food cost for both courses had to be no more than £4.50 per head based on three portions.

The judges were looking for clear nutritional understanding of the foods being used and how they support the needs of residents, plus culinary flair through flavours, menu balance, execution and presentation as well as hygiene and waste management best practice.

Samuel excelled throughout, impressing the judges with his ‘fish and chips’ main course consisting of poached cod with a medley of peas and samphire and homemade chips, tartar sauce and a battered fish goujon. His dessert was a caramelised Namalaka with bourbon cherries and almond and buckwheat granola.

Samuel Sewell, Head Chef at Wellington Vale, part of the Cinnamon Care Collection said, “The competition was fierce. It was amazing to be cooking alongside such talented chefs and I learned so much from the judges along the way. The whole experience has been such a pleasure. I am still in shock that I won! It means so much to me and I feel so proud and privileged to have been able to represent my care home and the Cinnamon Care Collection and to have been selected as the winner.”

Sandy Atkins, Senior General Manager at Wellington Vale said, “We are all so incredibly proud of Samuel. He is such a talented chef, and our residents love the food he serves to them. We have been supporting him every step of the way!”

Richard Pearshouse, Executive Chef, Cinnamon Care Collection added,“To have won the national final of the NACC Care Chef of the Year competition is such a huge achievement. This is by far the biggest competition for chefs in our industry. Huge congratulations to Samuel.

“I’d also like to congratulation Nigel Cooke, our chef from Eastcote Park, a Cinnamon care home near Solihull, who was awarded second place and the highly commended main course award. It is an unbelievable success for one company to have chefs winning first and second place at such a prestigious national competition – a real testament to their culinary skills and knowledge.”

Wellington Vale is an exclusive care home which offers exceptional residential, dementia and respite care and has 80 large, luxurious en-suite rooms. The care home has ratings of 10 out of 10 by carehome.co.uk, a national reviews website for care homes known as ‘the Trip Advisor of the care home sector’.Wellington Vale is part of the Cinnamon Care Collection which, for the last seven years, has been named a Top 20 Care Home Group by carehome.co.uk. For further information, please visit www.cinnamoncc.com/wellingtonvale

For more information on the NACC Care Chef of the Year 2024 competition visit: www.thenacc.co.uk