Local authorities in Aberdeen and Glasgow took top places in three of the 11 categories. Aberdeen City Council won the Community Benefits section for its work with the Soil Association.
Judges described its entry as ‘a most inspiring and well thought through community benefits project that has demonstrated what is possible when the right people get involved and are willing to innovate’.
New recipes had been developed, trialled and become part of regular menus. Farm visits included a tasting lunch and education on farming practices. The council also launched a pilot project Give Peas a Chance which introduced locally grown organic dried split peas into school meals.
Glasgow City Council won the Healthy Living Award and was presented with a Special Award for its work as the largest provider of food for young people in one of the most deprived areas of Scotland.
Glasgow Gaelic School took home the Sustainability Award with judges praising its whole‑school commitment to climate‑smart food practices, from locally sourced and seasonal ingredients to innovative waste‑reduction initiatives.
Vladimirs Kruus retained his title of Scotland’s top school chef and establishments for pupils with special needs captured two of the other main awards as the country celebrated its best school meal providers. Originally from Latvia and executive chef at Fettes since November 2023, he won the School Chef of the Year category last year.
Judges said he focused on freshly prepared food, kept nutrition at the forefront of menus, involved pupils in menu planning and had well thought out plans including ensuring youngsters going on to further education could cook for themselves.
The Scottish School Food Awards celebrate high quality food, nutrition, sustainability and wellbeing programmes in state-run and independent schools. Judged by a panel of independent experts from across the education sector, they were presented at a black tie dinner at Glenalmond School in Perthshire.
Parkhill Secondary, an additional learning needs school in Glasgow, was another double winner, regaining the Hospitality Education Award it won in 2023. It works closely with City of Glasgow and Kelvin Colleges to teach hospitality, horticulture, customer services and administration as well as lifelong skills that support independent living.
Fairview, Perth and Kinross Council’s school for children and young people with severe, complex and enduring additional support needs, won the Wellbeing in Education Award and was a finalist in two other categories - Foodservice Team of the Year and Hospitality Education.
The judges commented: “Fairview has demonstrated an exceptional commitment to wellbeing, creating an inclusive and supportive environment where wellbeing is truly at the heart of everything it does. The school places the mental, emotional and social health of students and staff at the centre of its ethos.”
The Foodservice Team Award went to Dollar Academy for its breadth of the food offer from morning to evening and weekends which enables pupils to access a variety of food experiences.
Aleisha Begg of Mackie Academy in Stonehaven, which has a notable record in these Awards, took the Student Chef of the Year trophy and the school also won the Healthy Living category for its Voyagers project in association within the ESS Partnership.
The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Margaret Gilmour. As senior partnerships manager of The Soil Association she is responsible for establishing, developing and supporting positive partnerships and relationships across Scotland’s food system.
The citation referred to her 40 years’ experience across public, private and third sectors including 26 years with Stirling Council, and said she had ‘made a significant difference to school meals across Scotland’.