The catering manager of King Charles’ old school and a student from the Isle of Skye now working at one of the country’s top restaurants were among the stars of Scotland’s School Food Awards.
Jamie Campbell, who took the award of Employee of the Year, joined Gordonstoun in Moray as a kitchen porter, washing pots at the age of 16 and is now in charge of a team of a team of 55 providing meals for 450 Senior and 120 Preparatory pupils and staff.
Other finalists were Liz Hardie, a member of Glasgow City Council’s catering team for almost 30 years, Alan Harper, Chef Manager of Edinburgh’s Cargilfield School, and Sharon Topolska, General Manager of Dollar Academy.
The Awards, presented by the BBC’s Kaye Adams at a black tie dinner at Glasgow Academy (on Thursday 6 February), recognise institutions and individuals who prioritise foodservice and well-being for pupils. They are open to state and private schools.
Gordonstoun scored a double triumph when it won the Wellbeing in Education category ahead of the Highly Commended Barrhead High School in East Renfrewshire and Edinburgh’s George Watson’s College, and other finalist Harmeny School, a residential school and cottages for children with complex needs in Balerno, Midlothian.
“I’ve been very lucky at the school, progressing my career,” said Jamie. “I continue to have the greatest respect for kitchen porters and others who do a lot of the hard work behind the scenes. You can’t do much without a clean kitchen.”
His team, which includes his mother as a chef, also prepares food for visitors, functions and school trips, including those into the mountains and on the school’s own yacht.
Princess Anne, who holds the honorary title of Warden of Gordonstoun, is a regular visitor. As catering manager Jamie is informed in advance of the food preferences of Royal visitors including the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh but says “they are all always willing to try new tastes and dishes.”
To mark the first anniversary of his coronation, King Charles recently accepted a patronage at Gordonstoun where he attended secondary school
The Student Chef of the Year Award went to Domhnall Angus Bruce,16, who was at Portree High School on Skye before being recruited for the team at Calum Montgomery’s 3 AA Rosetted Edinbane Lodge, a former Scottish Restaurant of the Year.
Runners-up Eva Brodie of Portobello High School and Lucie Campbell from Peebles High School were Highly Commended.
A regional winner of the Springboard charity’s Futurechef competition, Eva has worked at Edinburgh’s Little Chartroom restaurant alongside Roberta Hall-McCarron. Lucie was mentored at the start of her career by Iain Gourlay, Head Chef of Dalhousie Castle near Dalkeith, and specialises in developing game menus.
The School Food Chef of the Year title was presented to Vladimirs Kruus, Executive Chef of Fettes College in Edinburgh. Originally from Latvia, he joined the world famous school from high profile roles at the capital’s Balmoral and Apex Hotels.
Gordonstoun and Skye achieved further distinctions when Ross Burgess, the Moray school’s Head Chef and a former competitor in the TV series Masterchef:The Professionals, and Annette Burfoot, Head Cook at Broadford Primary School, took Highly Commended accolades. Other finalists were June Cormie, Senior Cluster Manager of Barrhead High School in East Renfrewshire and Artur Pohnke, Dollar Academy’s Head Chef.
The capital provided all three finalists in the Foodservice Team of the Year category with Edinburgh Academy Junior School edging out Erskine Stuart Melvill Nursery and Primary One and Balerno High School.
A Special Award went to Glasgow City Council whose catering teams feed 37,000 children daily in a wide range of schools. It works in partnership with Soil Association Scotland and were awarded a ‘Food for Life Served Here’ Bronze award in 2021, covering 132 primary schools and 20 special needs schools. In 2024 Glasgow added 113 nurseries to this Award.
Area managers bring in suppliers to schools to highlight local and seasonal produce used in school meals. The team has also launched food waste projects, cookery programmes and food growing activities across the city. Its ‘Full of Beans’ campaign promotes greater consumption of beans and pulses.
A Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Dr Lindsay Graham OBE from Inverness, Deputy Chair of the Poverty and Inequality Commission and co-founder of International School Meals Day. The citation described her as someone “who has helped transform school meals in Scotland and indeed the across the UK and beyond.”
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