RJAH chef serves up success at House of Commons

A Chef at Shropshire’s specialist orthopaedic hospital has showcased her skills at the House of Commons – as part of a special event celebrating five years of the NHS Chef of the Year competition.

Gill Owen was invited to take part in a celebratory lunch alongside fellow NHS chefs from across the country and the House of Commons culinary team.

The event brought together signature dishes from across the competition's five-year history, each plate celebrating the imagination, skill and dedication of chefs helping to transform the future of hospital food.

During her time competing in the NHS Chef of the Year competition, Gill developed a warm pineapple upside down cake with poached pear and spiced raspberry coconut sorbet. This was chosen to feature on the menu of the celebratory lunch, with Gill recreating the fish, alongside House of Commons Pastry Chef Andrew Ditchfield and his team.

She also helped prepare petit fours and the bread course, creating an apple pate de fruit for the petit fours, which has since been incorporated into a dessert now served in the House of Commons.

Gill joined the Catering Team at The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital as a Bank Catering Assistant, and after attending one of the first NHS Supply Chain NHS Chef Academy days, she discovered her new ambition to become a chef.

She said: "It was an incredible honour to be invited to take part in such a special event to mark five years of NHS Chef of the Year.

"The leadership and teamwork within the House of Commons kitchen was excellent, and everyone was so generous with their time in helping me learn techniques and use new equipment.

"It was an amazing experience and one I'll never forget."

The NHS Chef of the Year competition was established in 2020, following the Independent Review of Hospital Food, aiming to celebrate and inspire talented chefs across the health service. Since its inception, it has transformed careers and elevated standards in hospital catering nationwide.

Sian Langford, Facilities Manager, said: "We couldn't be prouder of Gill for representing RJAH so brilliantly.

"The opportunities the NHS Chef of the Year competition has provided our Catering Team over the years have been fantastic, showcasing the passion, commitment and skill we see every day."