Tarporley High School chef could be named best in UK

Tarporley High School catering manager, Paul Hardy, is one of just 12 school chefs nationwide to get through to this year’s national final of the School Chef of the Year Awards (SCOTY).  

The 51-year-old is heading to the Hilton Birmingham Metropole hotel on Thursday, July 4, for the final, where he has just 90 minutes to cook four portions of his competition main course and dessert.

Paul’s Spanish-inspired main is a seasoned chicken drumstick, red pepper and onion paella, sweet patatas bravas, and garlic aioli.

For dessert, he’ll be making a layered biscuit with raspberry brownie, chocolate sponge, chocolate mousse, raspberry coulis, and custard.

All competitors’ menus must come in at under £1.60 a head and meet strict School Food Standards and NHS Eat Well guidelines.

Both courses of Paul's competition menu come in at less than £1.60 a head (Image: SCOTY)

The dad-of-two said: “It was a wonderful surprise to make the final, and I’m quite made up, to be honest. I’ll be giving it my all.  

“I think of school dinners as part of their kids’ education. I hope what we do is always a learning curve in tasty and healthy eating.

“Sometimes its just about building up their confidence to try new things, steering them away from the baked potato and beans.

“Katsu chicken curry is a favourite, along with pasta carbonara, nasi goreng, and paella’s always popular. It’s a lot different from when I was at school.

Already the Northwest regional champion, Pail will be battling it out for the national title in Birmingham in Thursday, July 4 (Image: SCOTY)

“Keeping everything under £1.60 is always the biggest challenge while still packing it full of flavour and nutrition.

“I’m a bit of a foodie myself. I like what I know, of course, but when I’m travelling, it’s a big passion of mine to try all the local foods and ingredients.  

“My partner does most of the cooking at home; I do very little. I don’t complain.”

Paul was a regional winner and national finalist in the competition last year, though was pipped at the post by Raheem Morgan, from Torridon in Scotland.

Raheem wowed judges with his Asian crispy fishcake with edamame beans, miso puree, wasabi mayonnaise, and crispy garnish, followed by a deconstructed lemon cheesecake with apple and basil gel, apple crisp, cherry compote and egg white meringue.

Paul added: “The competition is pretty stiff so I’m glad this isn’t my first time.  At least I know what to expect.

“You get minimal equipment and space, and you’re cooking in front of a gallery of 100 people, plus a few thousand milling around. It’s quite daunting.

“That said, when you’re at the stage in the cooking, you don’t even see what’s going on around you.

"You’re so intensely zoned in on what you’re doing you’ve no idea what’s going on outside your little kitchen bubble.”