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Make it fun and colourful
Chef of the Year’s simple recipe for success
A creative chef who uses colour and fun to introduce children to new types of food has been named School Chef of the Year. It was the fourth time Jennifer Brown had reached the finals of the LACA-run competition… and she got there this time as a wildcard entry.
Tell us about your team
There are four of us and I couldn’t have won without them. I’ve been a chef for 26 years and I’ve got two boys of 10 and 12 so I know how to disguise vegetables, hide avocado in a smoothie or be clever with words.
Three top tips?
1. Keep your counter colourful – drop in more expensive experimental dishes alongside cheaper ones you know they’ll love such as mac and cheese.
2. Don’t be scared of spice – children eat curries and Thai food at home. Be brave.
3. Give opportunity – most want something different. It’s tough at 85p a child but hopefully that will change.
What were your winning dishes?
We had 90 minutes to cook food that was nutritional and met the cost per head. I did baked pollock in a potato and spinach case and a rhubarb and custard meringue tart with raspberry coulis. I love introducing the children to fish as it’s healthy and a great source of Omega oils, but you have to be creative. The fish cake was fun as it had a melted cheese sauce in the middle.
Your three most popular meals?
School compliant brownies, pizza or pasta and fruit pots for the ‘grab and goers’.
“Most children want to try something new. It’s our job to make their meals fun, nutritious and appealing.”
- Jennifer Brown, Chef at Sarum Academy, Salisbury, Wilts
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