Former Specialised Chef Receives Prestigious Award for Transforming School Meals

Amber, who graduated from the college in 2015, has recently been awarded the Extra Mile Award in the Foodservice Catey Awards, which celebrates excellence in culinary skills and is often referred to as the ‘Oscars of the Hospitality Industry’. Earlier this year, Amber was also fittingly titled the ‘Champion of Champions’ in the 2025 series of Great British Menu and serves as Head Chef and Senior Food Educator at Christ’s College School in London.

She was honoured for her commitment to food education and for demonstrating how nutritious meals can significantly enhance pupils’ behaviour, energy and concentration. Nicole Pisani, who jointly founded the charity Chefs in Schools, explained that the broader influence of Amber’s work should not be underestimated, noting that she has shown how school kitchens can be ‘spaces of real creativity and ambition’. 

Amber worked at The Ritz Hotel and Restaurant in Mayfair for the duration of her training. For some time after, she says, she “did a couple of stints in pop-ups, such as Dan Barber’s ‘WastED’, The French Laundry and Benu restaurants.” She then worked at The Dairy, Darby's and Bermondsey Larder with Robin Gill for 4 years, before moving to Brawn in East London and opening a new restaurant in Shoreditch. Amber said: “I also volunteered for the Felix project – bringing good food for good causes and raised funds for a ‘pay-what-you-can’ cafe in Brixton, that served local people regardless of their financial situation.”

Her passion for education eventually led her into schools, where she took on the role of Head Chef and Food Educator. She commented: “I like preparing food generally and particularly working with produce as a whole. I met Nicole through my networks, and she linked me to schools. I like to reinforce practical lessons for students, so we do ‘Try something new Tuesdays’, for example.” With this approach, a child or a young group of students under Amber’s expertise are encouraged to explore unfamiliar foods, helping to broaden their tastes and relationship with food. 

Reflecting on her training, Amber said: “During my course at the college, we learned Classical British and French cuisine, with some elements of a Mediterranean influence. At home, I cook all sorts of different dishes and focus on modern British, but in my professional role, I like to allow the ingredients to shine. That’s where my inspiration lies.”

She adds: “My main priority is obviously the school food, but I’m still promoting the changes in the government’s school food programmes, within that. I’m involved in government round tables on good school food for young people, bringing fine dining in, in the background.” 

She finishes: “What’s really amazing for my work within schools is the cooking skills I have gathered and gained from the Specialised Chefs course – particularly the fine dining part - and I really enjoy working in the community. I want to continue to follow my passions for bringing fine dining and community cooking experience together.”