JANICE SCOOPS CHEF OF THE YEAR AT STREAT FOOD AWARDS

When we talk about fuelling our individuality, we mean boldly walking our own walk and choosing our path. That’s exactly what Janice Edwards, our very own barista, did this week when she scooped up Chef of the Year at the StrEAT Food Awards 2024!

By day, Janice is busy brewing beverages at Starbucks in Birmingham City University (BCU), but on Tuesday evening, she swapped her apron for a chef’s jacket, going head-to-head with 15 chefs across the industry. Held at the Big Penny Social in East London and marking the 7th year of the awards, contestants were given a series of culinary challenges and just 55 minutes on the clock. With three intense rounds and nine dishes to create, the competition was fierce!

Kicking off with the plant-based round, Janice delivered a twist to Jamaican flavours with her SaltFoo and ackee dish. The second round included a technical challenge using ingredients supplied on the day. Up for the challenge, she whipped up her winning dish – a show-stopping Keralan snapper with a fajita and barbecue mari base, Keralan pan-asian paste, paired with smoky sweet potato. For the final signature dish round, she created her Boston jerk guava wings, bursting with sweet and spicy flavours.

On her winning moment, Janice said, “I couldn’t believe it when I heard my name! Just being part of the competition is amazing, but winning is the cherry on top.” She continued, “I have the best team behind me. They believed in me from the start, pushing and cheering me on, not just tonight, but all the way through. I’m so grateful to every single one of them.”

Janice was joined by her two daughters and a team of supporters, including Jamie Bosworth, winner at the 2021 Awards, Greg Bramwell, Director of Food & Beverage and Dave Maslen, Head of Food for Central & Wales. Dave said, “I’m so proud of Janice. She stayed calm and showed her authentic self. She may not have the ‘professional chef’ title on paper, but she lives and breathes our Obsessed culture. Her love for cooking, creativity and understanding of flavours shone through in every dish.  With the competition at such a high standard, this is an extraordinary achievement.”

Catch Janice in action here and see all the highlights from her big night below.