A Stockport NHS Foundation Trust apprentice chef has won the highest accolade in NHS catering – NHS Chef of the Year.  

Together with Nedko Rusev from Guy`s and St Thomas` NHS Foundation Trust, the pair won the title together in the competition run by NHS England to find the best in NHS catering.

Their winning menu consisted of saganaki, cauliflower steak with romesco sauce, hake with cauliflower sauce, and fig cake.

This is the first time ever that two trusts have merged to form a team in the NHS Chef competition. At the start of last week, both Nedko and Joe`s teammates had to drop out for personal reasons. Rather than withdrawing from the competition, these two chefs came together to form a new team.

Joe had previously been competing with partner Ian Richards from the Stockport NHS catering team, and they had reached the finals stage together.

Joe, 19, represents the future of NHS catering. Together with colleagues in the kitchens at Stepping Hill Hospital, Joe is training as a dysphagia chef whilst preparing for an assistant head chef apprenticeship. Following his mother`s advice about NHS opportunities, Joe has embraced every chance to learn and grow.

He follows in a long line of success from the Stockport NHS catering team in the competition, including other finalists and winners.

They were supported in the competition by their mentor Stuart Finn, from Bidfood UK.

Phil Shelley, NHS England Senior Operational Manager and National Lead for Food, said the 2025 event was outstanding. “The quality of the dishes continues to improve each year, with development and growth of the chefs becoming key throughout. The relationships with the mentors goes from strength to strength, providing confidence in recipe development and knowledge around balance of meal choices.”

Erica Bell, Stockport NHS Foundation Trust Support Services Manager -  Patient and Retail Catering said ; “We’re all hugely proud of Joe and his achievement. He has shown his worth in a really tough competition against strong competitors across the country. Together with Nedko, he has shown himself capable of the absolute highest standards in NHS catering.”