Previous Chef of the Year winners

Annually we hold our ‘Chef of the Year’ competition where our Chefs take on the opportunity to showcase their impressive skills, knowledge, and the high-quality meals that they serve daily to our residents.

The competition enables our chefs to shout about all of the pioneering ways they are able to serve our residents highly nutritional, great tasting, and exceptionally presented meals.

All of the meals that the competing chefs present are created from the same local, high quality, fresh ingredients that they use when preparing meals for our residents.

Applications are open to all chefs across the organization regardless of level, where they are asked to create and present a 2-course menu, and snack which must include a version suitable for an IDDSI soft & bite-sized diet.The best entries go through to a Grand Final live cooking event where finalists have to produce their menu within two hours for a panel of judges.

The winner is crowned Anchor’s Chef of the Year, and their award-winning dishes from the Chef Special suggestion on the Autumn / Winter menu across all our care homes – giving all our residents the chance to sample the winning meal from the competition.

Take a look at our previous winners below.

Chef of the Year 2024

Our 2024 Chef of the Year competition has now concluded and the winner was Lewis Cutler! Lewis is Chef Manager at West Hall in West Byfleet. 

The 4 finalists for 2024 were:

• Michael Marcial – The Manor House Harrogate
• James Conroy - Eric Morecambe House
• Lewis Cutler - West Hall
• Melissa Marshall – Hatfield House

Watch the final of Anchor’s Chef of the Year 2024 competition

Chef of the Year 2023

Our 2023 Chef of the Year competition was held in July 2023 in Leeds. 4 Finalists competed, producing a 3-course menu of starter, main and dessert.

The 2023 finalists were:

• Charlotte Holmes from The Manor House Barnard Castle
• James Conroy from Eric Morecambe House
• Lewis Cutler from West Hall
• Paul Thomas from Buckingham Lodge

After a highly competitive final and some truly exceptional meals, Paul Thomas, Chef Manager from Buckingham Lodge came out on top winning 'Chef of the Year' 2023. More information on the day and quotes from our winner can be found here.

Watch the final of Anchor’s Chef of the Year 2023 competition

Chef of the Year 2022

Now in its 6th year, our 2022 Chef of the Year competition was held in July 2022 in Leeds. 4 Finalists competed, producing a 2-course menu of main and dessert, and an additional snack which also included an IDDSI version.

The 2022 finalists were:

• Donna Stevenson - The Manor House, Harrogate
• Josh Heaton - Gills Top, Grassington
• Sam Mellish - Moore Place, Esher 
• Sandra Barkas - The Manor House, Barnard Castle

After a highly competitive final and some truly exceptional meals, Sam Mellish the Deputy Chef Manager from Moore Place came out on top winning 'Chef of the Year' 2022. More information on the day and quotes from our winner can be found here.

Chef of the Year 2021

Held in September 2021, three finalists competed for the winning position, creating an outstanding three-course recipe.

The 2021 finalists were:

• Verity Sims - Dawson Lodge
• Joshua Heaton - Gills Top
• Jenny Waring - Wellington Lodge

The competition was close as each chef produced outstanding menus, but in the end the winner was Verity Sims from Dawson Lodge. Read the full story and photos of the winners here.
 

Chef of the Year 2020

Although the Coronavirus pandemic meant that there could sadly be no in person competition this year, we still held our annual compeition through online submissions in the form of videos and photos of our chefs cuisine put forward by Anchor care home chefs across the country. The competition was fierce, but three finalists took the top spot:

• Lukasz Maciejewski - The Ridings
• Matthew Mackay - Ridgemount
• Paul Richardson Mackie - The Manor House, Harrogate

In the end Chef Manager, Paul Richardson Mackie snapped up the win! All entrants had their submissions voted for by Anchor colleagues across the country and the finalists were selected on the inventiveness of their cooking and the inclusion of residents in the creation of their menus.

Joan Richards, Chef Manager of Waterside care home in London, also won the Outstanding Achievement Award due to his menu being particularly noteworthy. Read more here.
 

Chef of the Year 2019

Held on the 5 September 2019 at the College of Food at University College Birmingham, the competition is now in its third year. Eight finalists competed under timed conditions, producing some stunning and delicious dishes.

The 2019 finalists were:

• Alan Bulmer – Palmersdene
• Connor Sackers – Heyberry House
• Emma Mardy – Lightbowne Hall
• Jamal Batioui – Limegrove
• Nathan Hateley – Bloomfield Court
• Neil Furniss – Heathervale
• Philip Cartmel – Kimberley Court

After a close competition, the winner was Connor Sackers from Heyberry House. Connor produced an outstanding menu, with the overall taste and visual presentation impressing the judges.
 

Watch the final of Anchor’s Chef of the Year 2019 competition

Chef of the Year 2018

The 2018 grand final was held on 4 September 2018. Eight finalists competed under timed conditions, producing some stunning dishes.

The winners were:

1st: Robin Devonshire - Clayburn Court in Peterborough
2nd: Russell Hesketh - Upton Grange in Wirral
3rd: Andrew Wilcox - The Firs care home in Felixstowe
 

Watch the final of Anchor's Chef of the Year 2018 competition

 Chef of the Year 2017 

The first Chef of the Year competition was held in 2017, watch our video to find out why we launched this innovative way of recognising the talent among our care home chefs.