STAFF and residents at The Dales care home in Draughton are celebrating after their managing director, Alison Donaldson, was crowned top chef..

Alison from care home owner, Barchester's, North West and Midlands Division, beat all competition to be crowned Cook Off Champion in the Barchester Charitable Foundation Cook Off 2024.

She went head to head with the managing directors from Barchester’s four other divisions and cooked up a storm to raise £24,595 for the company's charitable foundation which helps connect vulnerable people and those living with a disability to community groups in their local area by providing grants to improve mobility and quality of life.

Each year the Foundation distributes thousands of pounds to individuals, small community groups and charities across England, Scotland and Wales.

Alison's dishes for the judging panel, made up of members of Barchester's executive team, were a Chicken Roulade stuffed with pork and apple sausage in a mushroom, shallot and Madeira sauce, and Sticky Toffee Pudding served with clotted cream and edible flowers.

Roisin Doyle, general manager of the Dales care home, said: “We are all so proud of Alison, she really is amazing – is there nothing she can’t do! Her dishes looked absolutely fantastic and she raised so much for the foundation, we think she is an absolute super star."