Introducing James Conroy – one of our 2024 Chef of the Year finalists

James Conroy, a Chef Manager at Eric Morecambe House care home in Morecambe has got through to the finals of our Chef of the Year competition. 

Chefs from our care homes took part in the competition by submitting a three-course menu - starter, main course, and dessert. James Conroy entered with a starter dish of chorizo risotto with grilled squid, a main course of herb stuffed pork loin with seasonal vegetables and a dessert of lemon posset tart with summer berries.

The judges looked at the nutritional value of the meals, use of sustainable ingredients, food waste and how residents have been involved in choosing the menu.  

James now joins the three other finalists to see who will be crowned this year’s Anchor Chef of the Year. The finalists will face the heat in the kitchens of Leeds Catering College on Thursday 4 July when they prepare their menus for the judges.   

Stephanie Webster, Manager at Eric Morecambe House care home, said:

We’re all so happy for James, it’s honestly the least he deserves. His recipes are truly delightful and a big hit with our residents too. Everyone here at Eric Morecambe House care home loves his Lemon posset tart and I bet the judges did too!

James is delighted to be in the final, saying:

I still can’t quite believe I’ve made it! I’m deeply honoured by what the judges thought about my dishes and I’m hoping I can really do them justice in the final. I got my inspiration for the recipes from the team and residents at Anchor’s Eric Morecambe House care home. 

At the end of the day, it’s our residents who I’m making this all for, so it makes sense they decided what I should cook. Some of them even helped with making the dishes, so maybe they’re the ones who should be getting the credit!

Mealtimes are an important part of daily life in Anchor care homes. Good quality home cooked food is central to ensuring residents have a positive experience. We are always on the lookout for chefs who want to make delicious and nutritious food for residents at our care homes. To learn more about working for Anchor and to view current vacancies visit here.