Annual competition celebrates the creativity, skill and dedication of care sector chefs
One of the UK’s leading wholesalers – Creed Foodservice – has officially opened entries for its annual Care Chef of the Year competition, inviting chefs from across the UK care sector to showcase the talent, innovation and compassion that define professional care catering.
Now in its fourth year and firmly established as a highlight of the care catering calendar, the competition reflects Creed’s long-standing commitment to the sector, where it has supported care providers for many years with specialist expertise, menu development and tailored foodservice solutions.
With more than 370,000 people living in care homes in England[1], mealtimes play a vital role in residents’ health, wellbeing and quality of life. Beyond providing nutritious meals, care chefs create dining experiences that bring comfort, evoke memories and encourage social interaction. Creed’s Care Chef of the Year competition recognises the professionals whose skill and creativity make that possible every day.
This year’s challenge invites chefs to create a two-course dining experience centred around the theme of ‘Movie Classics: Bringing iconic films to life through dining’. From elegant Hollywood glamour to seaside musicals, wartime favourites to world cinema, chefs are encouraged to create menus that spark conversation, evoke treasured memories and deliver unforgettable experiences for residents.
As well as flavour, presentation and technical skill, judges will be looking for creativity, resident engagement and an understanding of the unique nutritional and accessibility requirements of care catering.
Joseph Oliver, Business Development Chef at Creed Foodservice and one of the judges of the competition, said: “Every day, care chefs help enrich the lives of hundreds of thousands of care home residents across the UK. They combine nutritional expertise with creativity, compassion and a deep understanding of individual needs to deliver meals that are so much more than food. Through Creed’s Care Chef of the Year, we want to celebrate those professionals, recognise the exceptional standards being achieved across the sector and inspire even more innovation in care catering. Whether you’ve entered before or are considering it for the first time, we’d encourage every care chef to get involved and showcase the fantastic work they do.”
The competition is free to enter and open to all chefs working in UK care settings. Entrants are asked to submit their two-course menu (main and dessert), recipes, a description of their chosen theme and supporting photography. Six finalists will then be selected to compete in the live grand final, taking place on 21st October, where they will recreate their dishes and bring their themed dining experience to life. Joining Joseph Oliver on the judging panel are Johnny Hazell, co-Founder at CheckMate, a digital food safety app for the care sector, alongside Preston Walker and James Ball, co-Founders and Directors of OHK, specialist provider of IDDSI and dysphagia training and consultancy for the health and social care sector.
The winner will be crowned Creed Care Chef of the Year 2026, joining a growing community of chefs recognised for raising standards and championing excellence within care catering.
All finalists will be gifted personalised embroidered chef whites and a prize for achieving a place at the finale. The winner will receive the coveted Creed Care Chef of the Year Trophy and a chef knife forging experience.
Entries are now open and close on 31st August. For the full competition details, entry requirements and deadlines please visit: https://about.creedfoodservice.co.uk/care-chef-of-the-year-competition/
[1] Care homes and estimating the self-funding population, England: Office of National Statistics
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