Prestigious National ‘Oscar’ for Former Whitby School Chef

A development chef whose pioneering recipes have improved meals for thousands of pupils across North Yorkshire has won a major accolade in the hospitality industry.

North Yorkshire Council’s training and development officer, Katherine Breckon, triumphed in the Public Sector Chef Award category at the glittering Craft Guild of Chefs Awards 2024 held on Monday evening (June 24) at the JW Marriott Grosvenor House in London.

The Craft Guild of Chef Awards are seen as the chefs’ Oscars recognising the “exceptional talent” across the whole of the industry.

Nominations for the Public Sector Chef Award were sought from the high-volume catering arena including hospitals, prisons, education, military, public and social services and in house staff restaurants.

A total of 19 trophies were awarded at the Craft Guild of Chefs Awards, which was attended by more than 800 of hospitality sector’s leading figures, including the Craft Guild of Chefs’ royal patron, HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh. Renowned chef Asma Khan of London’s Darjeeling Express and American chef Thomas Keller were also among the winners at the 30th anniversary of the awards.

Mrs Breckon said winning the award was “brilliant” and added:

“I wasn’t anticipating this win at all, and finding out I was shortlisted was an honour in itself and one I was extremely proud of.

“To attend the 30th celebration of the Craft Guild of Chefs surrounded by such esteemed chefs was a surreal experience to say the least. To actually win such a highly acclaimed award is a huge privilege.

“The number of people from celebrity chefs to industry colleagues who came over to say congratulations to me is totally overwhelming. It certainly has not sunk in that I have won a 'Cheffing Oscar'!”

Mrs Breckon is no stranger to winning awards for her expert cooking skills. Earlier this year she won Chef of the Year 2024 at the Public Sector Catering Awards, which were held at the London Hilton Metropole as well as the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) Excellence in School Food Award for best individual.

The mother-of-two is a key member of NYES Catering providing healthy, tasty and nutritious meals to more than half of the schools in North Yorkshire, with the aim of bringing enjoyment to school lunchtimes with local, fresh, great quality food being at the heart of everything she does.
She develops meals and menus in-line with food trends and food standards, always looking at opportunities to create tasty meals, while reducing food waste and recipe costs. An overhaul of school meals recipes has been one of Mrs Breckon’s latest projects.

Mrs Breckon joined the council’s catering service 15 years ago having previously worked as a school cook at West Cliff Primary in Whitby.
North Yorkshire Council’s corporate director of resources, Gary Fielding, said:

“Katherine’s passion for providing healthy and nutritious meals for our schoolchildren in North Yorkshire goes above and beyond her role and I’m really pleased that she has been recognised at this prestigious, top level.

“Congratulations to Katherine on her outstanding achievement. I’m so proud of her and for all that she brings to North Yorkshire Council.”

The vice president of the Craft Guild of Chefs Awards, Steve Munkley, said: “The chefs, from apprentices, to college lecturers, and all the way through to fine dining have all achieved so much.”