The heat was held at First Choice Group’s kitchen in Cannock where competitors had to prepare, cook and present four portions of a main course and dessert with a total food cost of £1.60 per head in 90 minutes. In addition, the meal had to meet the School Food Standards and comply with the Eat Well Guide. Competitors also had to use a minimum of one Premier Foods ingredient in both their main course and dessert.
For his main course Andrew prepared Korean fried jerk chicken, crispy fried chicken thigh in jerk sauce, served with sweet potato puree. For dessert he created tropical moussecake, pineapple and toasted coconut mousse with a cheesecake base and mango puree.
The national final will be held at the LACA Main Event on Wednesday 5th and Thursday 6th July at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole. The 2023 national winner will receive a £1,000 cash prize, the 2023 LACA School Chef of the Year trophy and an invitation to a calendar of catering industry events. The national second and third place winners will receive £500 and £300 respectively.