Duygu Karakus may have left her native Turkey for Wales, but her cooking is bringing a taste of sunshine to her young fans

The adventurous chef, known as Dee, at Cogan Primary School in Penarth, insists she loves the daily challenge of creating nutritious, colourful and fun food on a budget.

So what items are first on the School Chef of the Year (SCOTY) finalist’s list when it’s time to stock up?

“I couldn’t live without…”

Three packs of ready-made meatballs will serve 100 children, and they absolutely love them with pasta and a sauce that I sometimes make from scratch, to keep it different.

We always order fish fingers. They’re high in protein and Omega-3 and are versatile with vegetables and chips.

Chicken is popular. The children are always asking for it in milder curry or katsu style, so we try to have variety.

How do you keep it different?

I did a Mediterranean lasagne with lentils instead of beef, and a Turkish Delight-style dessert of caramelised carrot balls with coconut and custard for SCOTY. The children raved about those, so I’m always looking to adapt dishes.

I try to use less sugar and more fruit wherever I can, but I’m also keen on trying new things. We mash cheddar cheese with potato and onions in a puff pastry and call them cheese wheels. It’s a fun and tasty meal, especially with sides of vegetables.

What’s the secret to a good plate?

It has to be nutritious first, then good- looking, colourful and fun. People eat with their eyes first so if they like what the food looks like, they want to try it.