Wendling impressed the judges with his delivery of ‘excellent food’ for residents in the London care home. His winning menu consisted of stuffed chicken thighs served with dauphinoise potatoes and winter vegetables followed by a rich dark chocolate filo tart served with rum and vanilla mascarpone.
The food and dining awards celebrate the work for individuals and teams working in Care UK's 120 homes.
Wendling said: “I was delighted when my name was called. I grew up and trained as a chef in France. I then moved to Sweden and worked in catering there before moving to the UK, and I think this has enabled me to bring a wide-ranging experience to the home.
“Our home is wonderfully diverse and I think I have been able to use the knowledge I gained, working in kitchens around London and beyond before joining Care UK, to create not just appetising choices, but also multi-cultural dishes that reflect the tastes and cultural heritage of our residents.”
The Chef Year cook-offs took place over the summer and in autumn. Experts from the hospitality sector and Care UK directors judged the four finalists.
The three runners up were Alex Millichamp from Chandler Court in Bromsgrove, Deborah Moran from Davers Court in Bury St Edmunds and Yavor Dimitrov from Highmarket house in Banbury.
The Best Dining Experience went to the team at Mountfitchet House in Essex. The judges said the team continued to deliver a ‘luxury dining experience’ with a ‘personal touch’.
Andrew Knight, chief executive of Care UK’s care home service added: “I never cease to be impressed by the dedication people show in order to support the 7,000 residents in our homes, whether that is as carers, chefs, maintenance teams or so many others.
“These awards are our way of recognising the empathy, dedication and success of care home teams and an important way for us all to say thank you to so many incredible teams and individuals."