LACA Grab ‘N’ Go Challenge proudly sponsored by SchoolGrid, is thrilled to announce the nine talented school chefs who have been selected as finalists for the much-anticipated Cook-Off, set to take place on Wednesday 21st May 2025 at Rational’s UK Headquarters.
The event will feature three competitive heats throughout the day, with the top three chefs progressing to the Grab ‘N’ Go National Final at the LACA Main Event in Birmingham on Tuesday 8th July 2025. The overall winner will be crowned during the LACA Informal Dinner that evening and will showcase their winning recipe at the LACA Live Demo Theatre on Wednesday 9th July.
Dugald Curtis, SchoolGrid CEO said “We’re incredibly proud to support the LACA Grab ‘N’ Go Challenge for a second year running. We’ve had the highest number of entries ever for the competition and the standard has been nothing short of inspiring. We’re delighted to support LACA in showcasing the creativity and dedication of school chefs across the country. These professionals go above and beyond to make nutritious food exciting and accessible for pupils every day, and this competition is a celebration of that talent.”
The nine finalists competing in this year’s Cook-Off are:
- Gary Finan of Brooke Western Trust
- Paul Hepworth of Stir Food
- Ulisse Di Benedetto of Stir Food
- Nicholas Scarrett of Caterlink
- Andy Lidster of Impact Food Group
- Rebecca Moore of Park Community School
- Lee Taylor of Alliance in Partnership / Sodexo
- Nerinder Kaur of Alliance in Partnerhsip / Sodexo
- Andre Alto of OCS Group Ltd
Each finalist will prepare their original Grab ‘N’ Go dish live, and will be judged on creativity, presentation, flavour, and suitability for school catering. Submitted recipes this year reflect the growing innovation in school food, including dishes for all tastes such as vegan and vegetarian.
The coemption not only provides a platform to showcase excellence in school catering but also offers up some fantastic prizes. 1st Place takes home a £500 cash prize, plus a £500 Wüsthof professional chef’s knife set, donated by SchoolGrid
2nd Place receives a £250 cash prize, plus a £100 Amazon voucher and 3rd Place is given a £100 cash prize, plus a £100 Amazon voucher
The LACA Grab ‘N’ Go initiative aims to celebrate the skill, passion, and creativity of school chefs who play a vital role in delivering nutritious and appealing food for pupils across the country.
