Good school food awards – chef nathan crowned champion

Nathan isn’t just about cooking delicious food (though he does that brilliantly). He works hard to foster a food culture that students actually want to be part of.

With the help of school food ambassadors — students from every class — he’s whipped up a menu that’s made fresh, from scratch, packed with flavour and celebrates diversity. Over 900 students and staff enjoy his meals every day.

Nathan took a bold leap, leaving a Michelin-starred career behind to bring his skills and passion into the school kitchen. He says it best: “Working with the children, getting to know them and seeing all their happy faces every day… that’s the real reward.”

He also runs after-school and holiday cooking clubs, inspiring kids to get hands-on, learning new skills, and falling in love with good, nourishing food.

As Montell Douglas, double Olympian and inspirational role model, said when surprising Nathan with the award: “He’s not just feeding kids, he’s fuelling their future.” Jamie Oliver puts it perfectly too: “Nathan’s not just feeding children, he’s fuelling their confidence, curiosity and sense of belonging.”

We couldn’t be prouder to see Nathan’s work recognised and celebrated — a true leader in the school food revolution. Nathan’s award saw him hit the headlines in The Sun newspaper, where he shared that he isn’t just doing this for himself, but for foster children too. Having grown up in care, Nathan said: “A lot of foster children don’t necessarily have a positive outlook on life. So to be able to do this and show them it’s possible – that means a lot.”

To read more about the award and its 2025 winner, click here.