Waterton Young Chef of the Year 24-25
Thursday 26th June 2025 saw aspiring chefs from across the Waterton Academy Trust gather at Outwood Academy Hemsworth to battle it out in the semi-finals and final of the Waterton Young Chef of the Year competition.
After weeks of preparation and intense internal heats within their own academies, one aspiring young chef from each school was chosen by their peers to represent them in the trust-wide competition. These talented Key Stage 2 chefs arrived ready to impress with their creativity, skills, and passion for food.
In the semi-final, the challenge was to prepare a main meal dish using a pre prepared recipe and set list of ingredients. The standard was exceptionally high, with inventive and delicious creations such as red onion, pepper, and tomato soup with grilled cheese, creamy mushroom pasta, and vegetarian quesadillas.
A panel of judges, including Children’s Parliament Deputy Prime Minister Scarlett, Speaker Ruby, representatives from Caterlink, and the technology team at Outwood, had the tough job of selecting finalists. After careful deliberation and lots of taste testing, three chefs were chosen to move forward: Owain from Ackworth Mill Dam, Olivia from Normanton Common Primary Academy, and Billy from Newstead Academy.
In the nail-biting final, the young chefs were presented with a mystery box of ingredients and challenged to create a dish on the spot. With the expert support of a Caterlink Development Chef, the finalists planned and executed their final entries:
Owain wowed judges with a five-vegetable soup
Olivia cooked up fajita chicken with homemade wedges
Billy served a delicious vegetable risotto
Judges were astounded by the creativity, skill, and calmness under pressure displayed by all three finalists, making the decision incredibly difficult. However, it was Olivia’s fajita chicken and homemade wedges that won over the judging panel and secured her the title of Waterton Young Chef of the Year.
Congratulations to all of our young chefs for representing their school in such an exemplary manor throughout the day – the future of food is certainly in safe hands!
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