WGC  The Food Teacher 's "Young Chef of the Year" Final Showcases Incredible School Culinary Talent

The kitchen at Ridgeway Academy was filled with energy, creativity, and mouth-watering aromas yesterday as the Welwyn Hatfield Schools Final of the Young Chef of the Year competition took place.

Organised and run in partnership with The Food Teacher™, this popular annual initiative challenges local primary school pupils to develop their culinary skills. Competants first take part in initial heats within their own classrooms before the top-scoring young chefs progress to represent their schools at the grand district final.

This year, six finalists took to the kitchen workstations. The standard of cooking, presentation, and kitchen discipline was exceptionally high, making the judging process an incredibly tough task for the panel.

Following a close and highly competitive session, the judges announced the 2026 results:

• Joint Winners: Anvi Mishra (Panshanger Primary School) & Minnie (Homerswood Primary School)

• Runner-up: Ella (Panshanger Primary School)

A huge congratulations goes to Anvi, Minnie, Ella, and all the brilliant contestants who took part. Every single one of the participants proved to be an absolute credit to both their parents and their respective schools.

The Rotary Club of Welwyn Garden City was immensely proud to sponsor and facilitate the event. As part of our ongoing commitment to local youth services, the club covered the venue hire costs at Ridgeway Academy, provided refreshments for attendees, supplied the winners' trophy, and provided two of our own club members, Amanda Joseph and Coral Walton, to serve on the judging panel.

Our sincere thanks go to Katharine Tate, the Founder and Director of The Food Teacher™. As an award-winning registered nutritional therapist, education consultant, and author of acclaimed books such as 'Now We’re Cooking! Delivering the National Curriculum through Food', Katharine brings over 20 years of invaluable teaching and nutrition expertise to this initiative. Her work continues to inspire healthy eating habits and practical life skills in families and schools across the region.

Supporting children and expanding educational opportunities is one of Rotary International's Seven Areas of Focus. Watching these young people thrive under pressure, gain confidence, and express their creativity is exactly what Rotary community service is all about.

Interested in learning more about our youth programmes or joining our upcoming community projects? Get in touch with the Rotary Club of Welwyn Garden City today.