The NACC Podcast

Episode 7 - James Brown - Care Chef of the Year Special

A Dish Is Finished When There's Nothing Left to Take Away: James Brown on Judging, Food Trends, and Why Care Catering Is Harder Than Anyone Thinks

James Brown grew up in Cornwall collecting lobsters from the harbour and running them up to the kitchen. He's since worked in Michelin-starred restaurants, overseen multi-site chains, and is now Group Executive Chef for UK and Ireland at Unilever Food Solutions — travelling to China, New York and Singapore to research global food trends, and judging competitions from Ireland to the NACC Care Chef of the Year. In this episode he talks about what makes care catering harder than any other sector, what separates a great competition entry from an average one, and why if you're on the fence about entering, you should just go for it.

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Episode 6 - Marcus Appleton - Care Chef of the Year Special

Check the Bins Anytime, Boss: Marcus Appleton on Waste, Sustainability, and What the Judges Are Really Looking At

Most judges are watching the plate. Marcus Appleton is watching the bin. As waste management and sustainability judge for the NACC Care Chef of the Year — and a man who spent 37 years in the armed forces before becoming Deputy CEO of a 280-room hotel for veterans — Marcus brings a perspective on competition cookery that no one else in the building shares. In this episode he talks bins, budgets, seasonality, and why simple well-cooked food will beat a saffron-laced showstopper every time.

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Episode 5 - Alison Smith - Care Chef of the Year Special

"Food Is So Much More Than the Nutrition It Contains: Alison Smith on Judging Nutrition in a Competition Kitchen"

What does the nutrition judge actually look for when a care chef's dish lands in front of her? In this episode, Rob Spence sits down with Alison Smith, dietitian and nutritional judge for the NACC Care Chef of the Year. Alison pulls back the curtain on the judging process — what gets competitors marked down, what makes a dish genuinely stand out, and why the dessert might be the most nutritionally important element on the plate.

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Episode 4 - Steve Munkley MBE - Care Chef of the Year Special

If a Judge Comes Back for a Second Mouthful, He Liked It: Steve Munkley MBE on Judging, Mentoring, and the Future of Care Catering

What do the judges actually look for — and what sends them walking away after one bite? In this episode, Rob Spence sits down with Steve Munkley MBE, Head Judge of the NACC Care Chef of the Year and Vice President of the Craft Guild of Chefs. Steve shares the inside track on the competition, the common mistakes that cost competitors marks, and why the first fifteen minutes of the final tell him almost everything he needs to know.

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Episode 3 - Simon Lawrence - Care Chef of the Year Special

The Person Before the Plate: Simon Lawrence on Winning Care Chef of the Year, Helping Three Others Win It, and Why He's Still Learning

Simon Lawrence won the NACC Care Chef of the Year in 2013 — and the day after, he was on a call about budget deficits. In this episode he talks to host Rob Spence about the twenty-year journey that got him there: from helping his mum run theme nights in sheltered housing, through three attempts at the competition and a highly commended, a second place, and finally the title. He also talks about what winning actually meant — not the achievement itself, but using it to help three other chefs go on and win it too.

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Episode 2 - Ilona Tomza - Care Chef of the Year Special

Food Is Feeling: Ilana Tomza on Winning NACC Care Chef of the Year 2025

What does it really mean to cook for someone in the last chapter of their life? In the first episode of the NACC podcast, Care Chef of the Year 2025 Ilana Tomza shares the philosophy, the competition dish, and the resident moment that changed how she sees every plate she serves — plus what winning really opens up for a care chef's career.

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Episode 1 - Welcome to the NACC Podcast & Introducing Your Host

In this pilot episode, your host, Rob Spence introduces the podcast, what we aim to achieve, and explains what you can expect over the coming weeks. Our first official episode comes out on Tuesday 21st April, and from there, our episodes will be published every fortnight!

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The Trailer - The NACC Podcast

With episodes coming out fortnightly, we interview guests every episode to learn more about care catering, changes that are happening in the sector, latest news, events and much more.

We will cover everything surrounding the dynamic and growing area of care catering.

If you are looking to learn more about the positive impact nutrition, hydration and mealtimes have on the physical and emotional health and wellbeing of the elderly and vulnerable in care settings, then you have found the right podcast!

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