Frome Foodie Scoops Catering Prize

A chef from Frome Care Village has scooped first prize in a competition to find the region’s best care home cook.

The competition, which was run by PSP Healthcare, saw chefs from across the company’s nursing home and Care Village network vie for the title with a three-course menu designed to be an appealing and nutritious choice for older people.

Helen Bevan, who has been the head chef for Frome Care Village since June 2009, took the honours with a menu of Somerset faggots with boiled potatoes and brunoise of mixed vegetables followed by summer pudding with fresh cream.

Company Catering Manager Terry Knight helped judge the contest, in which competitors submitted a time and costings plan for their menu before serving up the finished dishes for a taste test. He commented “It was a close contest, but Helen’s menu pipped others to the post for its immaculate presentation and use of local ingredients.

“It was heartening to see that all our chefs had thought carefully about what their residents like to eat and given a new twist to old classics.”

Helen, who has been a professional chef for only 3 years but a family cook for many more, said her win was down to keeping things simple. “Local recipes like faggots may not be fashionable”, she commented, “but people still love to eat them and they’re a favourite dish amongst the Village residents.”

The Care Village provides general and dementia nursing care to 60 residents, and is well known for its person-centred care philosophy. The Village recently benefitted from over £100,000 investment from its new operator, PSP Healthcare.