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The SCOTY competition, which is sponsored by Bisto from Premier Foods, asks chefs to prepare, cook and present four portions of a main course and dessert with a total food cost of £1.75 per head in 90 minutes that meet the School Food Standards and Eat Well Guide.

The 2026 winner will receive a £1,000 cash prize, the School Chef of the Year trophy and an invitation to a calendar of catering industry events. The two wildcards are:

• Terri-Ann Vineall from Oundle School (East Midlands region)
• Richard Hardy St Robert of Newminster Catholic School (North East region)

In the national final Terri-Ann will make steamed layered pork dumpling lasagne, cucumber sesame slaw, spring onion oil and crispy cannellini beans for her main course. For dessert she will create sweet sticky rice flavoured with Birds custard powder, served warm with fresh mango, raspberries and kiwi.

For his main course Richard will produce Indian style crispy chicken served with Bombay potatoes, cauliflower and masala gravy. He will then prepare Yorkshire pudding filled with a apple and blackberry compote topped crumble and served with custard.

Wildcard Erin Ward from Holmer Green School (Impact Food Group) was named as the winner of the 2025 School Chef of the Year (SCOTY) competition showing it is possible to win the overall trophy despite qualifying as a wildcard.

The national final will once again be held at The School Food Show on Tuesday 7th and Wednesday 8th July 2026 at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole with the overall winner announced on the evening of Wednesday 8th July.