Stepping Hill Hospital’s ‘Chefs of the Year 2022’ led on a special event at the House of Commons to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the NHS.
Erica Bell and Shelley Pearson-Smith, who won last year’s national contest, prepared the main course of the NHS Chefs Table Dinner at the Commons.
The runners up from Hereford County Hospital in the Wye Valley were also there to prepare the starter.
The chefs were cooking within the normal budget NHS chefs work with on a day-to-day basis, demonstrating the ability of chefs to innovate on a budget. At the table were MPs and senior NHS figures including Ruth May, NHS Chief Nurse, and Simon Corben, Director and Head of Profession for NHS Estates and Facilities at NHS England. Also present were Lord Markham, and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Health and Social Care, and BBC MasterChef winner 2017 Dr Saliha Mahmood Ahmed.
The main course was slow braised ox cheek, celeriac, and potato dauphinoise, seasonal greens and squash puree with a tasty jus. All agreed that the food was delicious at this celebratory event, showcasing the talent and expertise within both NHS catering and the wider healthcare estates and facilities workforce.