Bringing together the most talented young chefs from across the Trust, students worked in teams of two during a nail-biting cook-off that tested creativity and culinary flair.

Launched in the autumn term and open to Key Stage 3 students, the competition saw 118 teams from academies across Manchester, Stoke, Merseyside and West Yorkshire take part in high-pressure regional heats. Working in pairs, students were challenged to turn a blind selection of everyday ingredients into a well-presented dish, all in under an hour.

Ten winning teams, each representing their secondary school, then made it to the final on June 26 where they faced two new exciting challenges set by Co-op’s Food Development Team.

 First, they had to create a ready-to-go Co-op main meal product, such as a sandwich or wrap. Then, they had to prepare a healthy smoothie to accompany it, all while being judged by Co-op food experts and Trust leaders.

Organiser and Director of Design & Technology and Vocational Education, Drew Wicken said: “I want to take a moment to celebrate all the amazing schools that took part in the competition! Everyone really showed off the Co-op values and came up with some truly fantastic dishes.

“The creativity and inventiveness of all the students was just incredible. Each dish was so impressive that it could easily be sold to the public.

“This competition really showcased how important design and technology are in our schools, equipping our students with valuable skills for the future. A big, heartfelt congratulations to everyone who participated this year. I can't wait to see what next year brings!”

Huge congrats to Halimah and Hooria from Co-op Academy Stoke-on-Trent who came in first place for their smoothie and were announced as overall winners.