Totally Local Company Green Genius Competition – Winners Announced! Celebrating Student Innovation in Plant-Based Cooking
We are thrilled to announce details of the winners of our very first Green Genius Competition, and what a journey it’s been!
With a mission to inspire young minds to think creatively about healthy, sustainable eating, this competition has sparked an incredible wave of delicious, eco-friendly dishes created by students across our school communities.
Led by our passionate Catering Team, in proud partnership with Pro Veg UK, this initiative invited students to submit their most creative, plant-based meal ideas, and they did not disappoint!
Student engagement with school food is crucial for developing lifelong healthy eating habits, especially during formative years when dietary preferences and behaviours are being established. Research shows that children are more likely to try and accept new foods, including fruits, vegetables, and plant-based options, when they are involved in food-related activities such as cooking, menu design, and tasting sessions (Evans et al., 2012).
Schools play a key role in shaping students’ attitudes toward nutrition, as they provide up to 50% of a child’s daily energy intake during term time (Nelson et al., 2007). By actively involving students in food initiatives like the Green Genius Competition, schools create a sense of ownership and curiosity around healthy eating. Exposure to diverse, plant-based meals in a supportive environment not only improves dietary intake but also enhances food literacy and encourages sustainable eating behaviours that can last a lifetime.
After careful judging based on creativity, nutrition, appeal, feasibility, and use of plant-based ingredients, we are proud to announce our top entries:
🥇1st Place Winner: Katherine East, Age: 11
School: St Elisabeth’s CE Primary School
Dish Name: Green Genius Pasta Bake
A vibrant, flavour-packed creation that wowed the judges with its scalability, presentation, and sustainability.
This dish will proudly feature on the Totally Local Company Autumn/Winter 2025 Menu!
Prize includes:
- Dish added to our school menu
- A certificate of achievement
- Feature on our website, newsletter & social media
- One-month fresh fruit and veg subscription box
🥈 2nd Place: Grace Mottis, Age: 8
School: Cale Green Primary School
Dish Name: Grace’s Mushroom Veggie Soup
A close contender, this dish stood out for its inventive use of sustainable ingredients and affordability. A hearty winter dish!
🥉3rd Place: Loreanne, Age: 11
School: St Elisabeth’s CE Primary School
Dish Name: Yummy Healthy Food
An inspiring and beautifully presented dish that brought fresh energy to our judging panel.
Special Recognition – Runners-Up:
We also want to give a big shoutout to our runners-up, who will each receive eco-friendly gift bags and sustainable culinary tools. Their contributions have helped shape a more sustainable future for school meals.
The Runners up are:
- Parsh & Freddie at St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School for their Veggie Samosas
- Darcey & Jese at St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School for their Curry Meal
What’s Next?
This competition marks just the beginning of a new era in school catering. We’re committed to putting students at the heart of our food journey, and we can’t wait to see these winning ideas come to life in our menus.
Thank you to everyone who entered the competition, especially for your passion, creativity, and commitment to healthy, plant-based eating. You’ve truly helped make a difference.
Thank you also to our dedicated catering team colleagues for their ongoing hard work in our schools and for their encouragement with the students.
Congratulations and well done to all our winners – Prizes and certificates will be awarded at the beginning of June, so stay tuned!
Watch this space! – Look out for future features about our winners and their journey on our website and via our social media channels.
Let’s keep cooking green and dreaming big!
