Raheem Morgan wins LACA’s SCOTY

Raheem Morgan from Chartwells has beaten off competition from around the UK to become LACA’s 2023 School Chef of The Year (SCOTY). It’s his fourth time in the competition, with runner-up positions in both 2021 and 2022. He also claimed two Contract Catering Awards earlier this year (as pictured above).

He cooked an Asian crispy fishcake with edamame bean and miso purée, served with a wasabi mayonnaise and crispy garnish. His dessert was a deconstructed lemon cheesecake with apple and basil gel, apple crisp, cherry compote and egg white meringue.

The dishes have been enjoyed by children at Torridon Primary School in Lewisham, south London, where he has been the unit manager and head chef for two years.

Morgan said: “It means the world to win – I’m on cloud nine! I’ve put so much time and effort into it, so to win is not only great for me but for my brilliant team at school and Chartwells too. Both have supported me with the dish creation, tasting, giving feedback and stepping in while I had time away from school for the competition.”

He added that he plans to spend some of this £1,000 winnings on taking his school team out to say thank you for their help. 
Head judge, Louise Wagstaffe from Premier Foods, said: “These chefs have a massive influence on the food our children are eating, and to see such great tasting food full of nutrition and innovation has been brilliant. There are some fantastic, scalable ideas here that we will be sharing with our schools.” 

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