Foodservice Cateys 2025: Extra Mile Award – Amber Francis 

The BBC’s Great British Menu has been won by some of the most recognisable chefs in the country, but in 2025 its champion of champions was not the head chef of a critically acclaimed, fine dining restaurant, but the culinary lead of a north London school. 

Amber Francis took the top spot after dazzling diners with a delicate dessert featuring a much-lauded hay-infused set cream and fermented strawberries. As her name was announced and rung around the banquet hall, her expression was one of shock and delight. 

Throughout the series the head chef and senior food educator at Christ’s College in Finchley, London, demonstrated skill and ingenuity to rival even her most decorated of colleagues, all while passionately championing careers in the foodservice sector.  

Her success was celebrated across the industry and in subsequent interviews Francis spoke repeatedly about her passion for food education and the impact nutritious meals can have on pupils.

She explained that carefully balanced meals for pupils had led to reports of better behaviour, energy levels and focus, while her tailored education programme had taught children about the sourcing and preparation of food. 

Whether joining lessons to discuss agriculture or encouraging students to widen their culinary experiences on Try Something New Tuesdays, Francis clearly works tirelessly to ignite a passion for food that pupils can take with them through their lives.

She told The Caterer: “Being the only school chef on Great British Menu allowed me to have conversations that haven’t really been had on that platform; to talk about the importance of working within food education and communities and how vital that is for society.” 

Unsurprisingly, her success and the platform it gave her has reinvigorated conversations about the potential impact of school catering and the importance of food education. As well as this, many of her initiatives, including Try Something New Tuesdays, have been adopted at schools across the country.

Nicole Pisani, co-founder of charity Chefs in Schools, whose campaigns improve school catering, said the wider impact of Francis’s work should not be underestimated. She said: “Amber has played a vital role in shining a national spotlight on the importance of school food. Through her work as head chef at Christ’s College Finchley, she’s shown how school kitchens can be spaces of real creativity and ambition, and how the kitchen team can bring learning into the dining hall with her food education initiatives. 

“Her success on Great British Menu was a turning point, using a national platform to champion the importance of feeding children well and highlighting the skill and passion that exists within school kitchens across the country. Amber’s leadership and vision are inspiring a wider conversation about what school food can achieve for communities. Her work is helping to change perceptions, showing that school food can be a dynamic and respected part of the hospitality sector.”

Photo: BBC Optomen Television Limited Kate Hollingsworth