A Carlisle dinner lady is in the running for a top culinary title thanks to her fun take on food.

Kerry Weir, of Morton, is due to compete against six others to become the LACA North West School Chef of the Year 2018.

The competition sees school chefs showcase their professional skills and aims to show to parents the high quality of today's school meals.

The Newlaithes School chef, who works for Dolce Limited, heads a team of two other staff to serve up about 180 nutritious, two-course meals, five days a week.

A former pub landlady of The Royal Oak Inn at Curthwaite, near Wigton Kerry, 32, is no stranger to being in the kitchen.

She'd not even worked for the company a whole year when she was nominated for School Chef of the Year by her then area manager Karen Graham.

But she's grateful for the nomination and keen to prove that school catering has come a long way.

She said: "It would be really nice to win and get a bit of recognition for the company and what they are doing.

"School dinners get a bit of stick. It's not bags of white sauce, it's lovely fresh food and it's nice to get a bit of recognition for that."

In the regional final, at Manchester on January 30, the chefs' preparation, cooking, creativity and presentation skills will be put to the test.

With a meal budget of £1.30 and just 90 minutes to prepare their dishes, each chef is required to produce a healthy, balanced two-course meal - a main course and dessert - that would appeal to 11-year-olds in school.

The nutritional content of contestants’ dishes must comply with the School Food Standards and take into account the Eat Well Guide 2016.

Kerry will be cooking up popcorn chicken with tangy tomato salsa, sweet potatoe wedges and green salad, before a banana and chocolate pudding.

She said: "I was looking through some suggestions. There was a lot of companies making curries but when I was a child I went for fast food.

"This is a healthy version. It is freshly cooked chicken breast and they will be getting the veg in there.

"I went for something the kids would like."


Kerry Weir in the kitchen Every day at Newlaithes, Kerry and the team have the momentous task of freshly preparing three hot meal choices and a jacket potato option plus a salad bar, homemade bread and desserts.

The competition, organised by the Lead Association for Catering in Education (LACA) and which has been running for more than 20 years, will culminate on March 8 when the regional winner compete in a grand final at Stratford upon Avon for the Chef of the Year trophy and a £1,000 cash prize.

LACA national chairman Tim Blowers said: “There is no secret formula to participating in the LACA School Chef of the Year Competition. It simply requires school cooks with passion, dedication and oodles of culinary skill mixed together with delicious, nutritious dishes prepared with creativity and flair.

"Every year, this competition allows us to demonstrate to the wider world both the professional expertise of today’s school chefs and the excellent meals they prepare tirelessly every single day in schools across the country.

"The impact that this has on the health and vitality of children and young people cannot be underestimated. It underpins why all schools should provide quality, nutritious meals every day."