The demonstrations, which were part of the Public Sector Catering Kitchen, highlighted the importance of chefs working throughout the public sector who together help to feed a healthy and sustainable nation.
During his own cooking demonstration, Hairy Biker Si King delivered a ‘quick and easy’ Kerala king prawn curry for attendees to sample.
The recipe was inspired by one of his visits to Kerala, which he described as the land of the coconut. He later said this recipe could be used in schools by swapping the prawns for a plant-based alternative such as tofu.
Si King said he passionately supports the Tyne & Wear food bank. He added: “We can only be judged by how we treat the most vulnerable members of our society.” He said that more needed to be done to help children and other vulnerable people who were struggling to have enough food to eat.
Speaking about his travels, he said it was an ‘enormous privilege’ to travel the world, stating that along with the late Dave Myers he travelled 650,000km together which is the equivalent of to the moon and back. He said his favourite place he visited was Kerala because of the thousands of years of the alchemy of spice.
Together they fronted over 30 television series, becoming national treasures with their infectious charm, unique blend of culinary expertise and humor. He said: “As a chef we never stop learning. Every day is a school day. We are always learning new cooking techniques.”
The duo released 33 cookbooks selling over six million copies and achieving 26 appearances on the Sunday Bestsellers list. He said each recipe in his cookbooks were tested several times by himself, Dave and other members of the team.
School Chef of the Year winner Erin Ward recreated her winning main course and dessert that clinched the title in this year’s competition - Pork Bao Bun, Spring Onion Puree and Rainbow Slaw followed by Sweet Nacho Chips, Lime Mousse and Fruit Salsa.
Erin, who works for Impact Food Group at Holmer Green School, a Buckinghamshire secondary school, told Si King as they chatted during her demo: “Some come in and want the same dish every day, but what I like is when you try something different on the menu and you make it exciting enough they want to try it.”
Si King noted how Erin’s menu had some vivid flavours, and she responded: “I use a lot of strong flavours, like the chilli in the rainbow slaw, as I find the kids really respond to that.”
Care Chef of the Year Ilona Tomza, who works as a development chef for Porthaven Care Homes, took the opportunity to show off her winning main course of balsamic vinegar and muscovado coq au vin.
She explained that it was alcohol-free and the flavour and texture of the original was created by using balsamic vinegar and sugar and reducing.
Ilona said that the trend was for people to consume less alcohol and her version also saved on cost without sacrificing any of the taste. Another feature of her dish, she explained, was how she set aside small portions of the recipe ingredients, such as carrots and the mushrooms, and then use them as a garnish for the dish.
“It helps people with dementia to understand what is in the dish like a stew – it’s a visual clue they will recognise.”
Alejandro Hernandez and Manuela Miccoli, who won the NHS Chef of the Year competition in 2024 from Royal Surrey Foundation Trust, cooked their winning main course dish of gnocchi with hake, granola and cherry tomato sauce.
When asked about what she would like to be doing in five years’ time, Manuela said she wanted to finish studying for her qualifications and to remain in the NHS. She added that she wanted to “continue to improve food in hospitals, especially for children to help them feel better.”
Speaking about his future goals, Alejandro said his goal was to become an executive chef so he was able to create menus that are “sustainable, creative and tasty.” He added the most difficult part of the competition for him was having people watch him cook as he wasn’t used to it at the time.