School chef from Marston Green scoops top award

TWO COURSE TREAT: Jose Davies
Kochakkadan with his winning meal

THERE’S no sign of lumpy custard or limp lettuce leaves at one local school...
And it helps that the man designing the menu at Marston Green Infant Academy has just won the title of West Midlands School Chef of the Year.
Jose Davies Kochakkadan had to call on all his culinary skills to triumph against two other school cooks in a fiercely-contested final.
With just £1.30 to spend on their two-course menu, the three finalists had 90 minutes to rustle up a main course and dessert which were both tasty and nutritious.
Jose impressed the panel of chefs and catering professionals with an Indian-inspired main, which he followed with mango frangipane.
He now goes on to face nine other kitchen wizards in the national final, which will take place at Stratford-Upon-Avon College on March 2 next year.
Should he triumph he will take the title as the UK’s undisputed School Chef of the Year.
Jose said: “Looking forward for the national final, I will definitely put my heart and soul into competing against the other finalists to achieve one of my goals.”
Councillor Ken Meeson, Solihull Council’s cabinet member for children, education and skills, said: “Solihull’s Catering Service has a strong track record of providing high quality meals for children in Solihull and further afield, so we are very proud to have one of our team members shortlisted for this prestigious industry award.”
Organised by the Lead Association for Catering in Education (LACA), the annual contest aims to prove that school meals now are a far cry from those that the parents of today’s pupils may remember.