A CARE home chef from Warrington has taken home the crown after cooking up a storm in a MasterChef-style competition run by not-for-profit care provider, Sanctuary Care.
Sarah Ashton, chef manager at High Peak Residential and Nursing Home in Main Lane, Kenyon, Croft emerged victorious amongst 13 finalists in the annual competition, which follows a similar format to the popular BBC series.
The competition saw chefs from over 100 care homes in England and Scotland battle it out to produce a two-course menu in under 90 minutes.
A panel of judges assessed the dishes for taste, culinary flair, creativity, and presentation.
Inspired by her children’s favourite cuisine, Sarah prepared a delectable chicken katsu curry with coconut rice as her main course. This was followed by one of the care home’s most popular desserts, a rhubarb crumble cheesecake.
Sarah said: “The competition was fierce, so I am feeling very proud to have won! As a care home chef, it means a lot to have our culinary skills recognised.
“I’ve always loved cooking but working in a care home kitchen is a completely different experience, which brings with it unique challenges and a whole new level of satisfaction.
“Preparing menus which cater to our residents’ wide range of preferences and dietary requirements requires a certain level of creativity, but knowing how much they look forward to mealtimes is incredibly fulfilling – particularly when they share positive feedback.
“It really was an honour to take part in the competition. I can’t wait for next year already!’
Sarah was not only named MasterChef champion, but Sanctuary Care, which has delivered residential, dementia, respite, and nursing care for over 25 years, awarded her a cash prize of £1,000
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Judge and Sanctuary Care’s director of operations, Sheila O’Connor, said: “Sarah is an outstanding chef and deserving winner of our MasterChef competition.
“We introduced the contest 13 years ago to honour the amazing chefs who produce delicious food to enrich the lives of residents living within our care homes every day, and each year, the competition gets more exciting.
“Mealtimes play a really important role in our homes and have always been a focus for residents, which is why we are proud to invest in fantastic chefs who go above and beyond to create enjoyable dining experiences for our residents.
“It was great to see the contestants demonstrating their culinary flair during the competition. The judges were blown away by the creative menus and delicious food produced. All of the chefs should feel incredibly proud.”
