A chef at a West Byfleet care home has won Anchor’s Chef of the Year competition following one final showdown at Leeds Community College on Thursday 4 July.
Lewis Cutler, a Chef Manager at Anchor’s West Hall care home on Parvis Road, went up against chefs from all 120 care homes run by Anchor, England’s largest not-for-profit care and housing provider.
Entrants in Anchor’s prestigious Chef of the Year competition submitted a three-course recipe – starter, main course, and dessert. The judges looked at the nutritional value of the meals, use of sustainable/home grown/local ingredients, food waste and how residents were involved in choosing the menu.
The four finalists then came together to cook their recipes in a cooking competition at Leeds Community College. Among the judges on Thursday were Anchor’s Managing Director of Care Services Rob Martin, Anchor’s Director of Care Quality Cath Holmes, and Managing Director of Efoods Steve McFall.
In the end though, there could only be one winner. Lewis was crowned at the official ceremony later that day. For his menu, Lewis served up a starter dish of crispy hash brown, topped with roasted garlic mayo, parmesan and crispy onions, a main course of slow roasted pork belly, fondant potato, red cabbage, brussel sprouts, apple puree and jus and a dessert of spiced caramelised pear sponge pudding, crème anglaise. All the judges agreed Lewis’ menu contained the perfect balance of traditional comfort and culinary excellence!
Anchor’s Managing Director of Care Services Rob Martin, who presented Lewis with his award, said: “Congratulations to Lewis, this year’s competition was fierce, the finalists focused on sustainability with particular attention to locally sourced fresh foods and minimising food waste, and all four finalists Lewis, Mel, James, and Michael did themselves proud. Chef of the Year for me is one of the most important moments in the year that showcases not only the quality of our chefs, but also the absolute talent we have across Anchor as a whole.”
Lewis was delighted to win, saying: “Winning the Chef of the Year competition means a lot to me. Lots of hard work and thought went into my menu, and it’s been both a high pressure and enjoyable experience being involved in the competition. I’m very proud of challenging myself and pushing myself outside of my comfort zone.”
Mealtimes are an important part of daily life in Anchor care homes. Good quality home cooked food is central to ensuring residents have a positive experience. Anchor is always on the lookout for chefs who want to make tasty and nutritious food for residents at its 120 care homes. To learn more about working for Anchor and to view current vacancies visit anchor.org.uk/careers.
