A WOMAN from Anglesey has secured a place in the live Regional Heats of the Welsh School Chef of the Year 2019.

Joanne Cox, who works at Ysgol Pentraeth, will be competing in the Welsh final taking place at Weston College, Weston-super-Mare on Wednesday afternoon.

The Lead Association for Catering in Education (LACA) School Chef of the Year Competition has been the flagship event for school chefs to showcase their professional skills for more than twenty years.

Against the clock and under the scrutiny of a panel of judges, both Jane and Joanne will have to prepare four portions of a main course and a dessert suitable for 11 year olds at school.

They will have 90 minutes and a maximum spend of £1.30 is allowed for the cost of a single meal (i.e. one main course and dessert).

Speaking ahead of the heats on Wednesday, Joanne said: "Nobody ever really notices the school chef's, as we're always in the background, to competitions like this are great.

"It's one of the best opportunities I've had to be honest and I'm really looking forward to it."

In preparation for the competition, Joanne has been doing trial runs with pupils at Ysgol Pentraeth.

"My speciality is working with savoury foods," She added.

"Some of the kids at the school have been helping me out and I made them a naan bread in the shape of a Welsh dragon last week to try. They even tried some Welsh cakes too."

As a Welsh main course at the competition, Joanne will be making a Chilli Dragon’s Nest – Chilli served on a flatbread dragon with traffic light rice and a tomato & onion salsa.

For dessert, she will be preparing Teisen Gri – a Welsh cake served with strawberries and a strawberry coulis.

The overall winner from this regional heat will go on to represent Wales against nine other Regional Champions, in the National Final held on March 7.

The reigning LACA School Chef of Year 2018 is Michael Goulston from Stevenage, Hertfordshire.