Calling all dinner ladies, dinner men and public caterers

15th July 2010, 10:13am

This year's BBC Food and Farming Awards are now open, and Radio 4 is looking for nominations for the Best “Dinner Lady” / Public Caterer Award.

One previous winner is Jeanette Orrey, now a school meals advisor, who helped inspire Jamie Oliver to launch his own campaign on school meals.

Last year's winner was John Rankin from Penair Secondary School in Cornwall.  His background was as a restaurant chef, a mindset he took into the canteen: "I'm a chef, this is a dining room and the kids are my customers."  On a tight budget he's encouraged pupils to try game pie and he's managed to include fresh fish on the menu sourced from a local supplier.

As well as schools they want to hear from inspiring cooks working in any public institution: care homes, hospitals, the armed services.  Al Crisci won for his approach to cooking with fresh ingredients at High Down prison, where he went on to launch Clink, a restaurant for paying customers within the prison walls as part of a training and resettlement programme for inmates.  

Ian Woodhouse, chef at Stoke City Council, and Ron McKenzie from Darlington Memorial Hospital both proved that with a passion for cooking and an interest in sourcing quality ingredients locally you can make good tasting, healthy meals at affordable prices. 

So if you know anyone you think we should know about, or want to nominate yourself, the website gives all the details:  www.bbc.co.uk/foodawards, and nominations close on 15th August. 

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