Born and bred in Aberdeenshire, Kate Skinner is 15 years old and began baking as a youngster with her granny. A student at Kemnay Academy, it was while completing her Duke of Edinburgh that her assessor noticed her cooking and immediately recognised talent. Recommending Springboard FutureChef, Kate’s parents spoke to her school about the competition, and they helped her sign up.
Kate didn’t have the benefit of a mentor in her first year competing but after chef Peter Thompson saw something special in her and offered to mentor her this year, it gave Kate the belief to compete again. Showing true Scottish grit and determination, Kate wowed judges with her skills, techniques and menu consisting of her main course of roasted celeriac & pearl barley risotto, celeriac purée, a spiced celeriac skin bhaji and the Paris-Brest dessert with almond praline cream and a spiced pear compote.
Springboard FutureChef Champion 2025/26 Kate Skinner said: “I’m so happy to have won the national final of the Springboard FutureChef. It’s been an amazing experience competing alongside other talented young people. Thank you to everyone who has supported me and especially to my mentor Peter. Working with him has helped me learn new skills and his support and belief in me has meant so much. I’m very excited for what comes next.”
Chantelle Nicholson, multi‑award‑winning chef and 2026 Head Judge for Springboard FutureChef, said: “I had a phenomenal day with some incredibly talented young people, and the quality of the food was mind-blowing. Kate’s celeriac dish was absolutely delicious – the pearl barley was cooked to perfection, the seasoning was excellent, and her inventive use of the celeriac skin made it a really outstanding plate of food. It’s exciting to see such promising talent coming through and I have no doubt we’ll be seeing great things from Kate in the future.”
Amanda McDade, National Head of Careers and Education for Springboard, commented: “This year’s competition has been our biggest yet, with over 16,000 young people taking part – a true testament to the growing passion and talent within the next generation of chefs. Programmes like FutureChef are vital in nurturing young culinary talent and inspiring future careers in hospitality. None of this would be possible without the invaluable support of partners like Country Range. Their commitment enables us to continue delivering meaningful opportunities, industry connections and hands-on experiences for students across the UK. With their support, we’re confident that FutureChef will remain a transformative platform for young people, opening doors to exciting careers and helping to address the industry’s skills gap. Together, we’re not just shaping future chefs; we’re cultivating the culinary stars of tomorrow.”
Born and bred in Aberdeenshire, Kate Skinner is 15 years old and began baking as a youngster with her granny. A student at Kemnay Academy, it was while completing her Duke of Edinburgh that her assessor noticed her cooking and immediately recognised talent. Recommending Springboard FutureChef, Kate’s parents spoke to her school about the competition, and they helped her sign up.
Kate didn’t have the benefit of a mentor in her first year competing but after chef Peter Thompson saw something special in her and offered to mentor her this year, it gave Kate the belief to compete again. Showing true Scottish grit and determination, Kate wowed judges with her skills, techniques and menu consisting of her main course of roasted celeriac & pearl barley risotto, celeriac purée, a spiced celeriac skin bhaji and the Paris-Brest dessert with almond praline cream and a spiced pear compote.
Springboard FutureChef Champion 2025/26 Kate Skinner said: “I’m so happy to have won the national final of the Springboard FutureChef. It’s been an amazing experience competing alongside other talented young people. Thank you to everyone who has supported me and especially to my mentor Peter. Working with him has helped me learn new skills and his support and belief in me has meant so much. I’m very excited for what comes next.”
Chantelle Nicholson, multi‑award‑winning chef and 2026 Head Judge for Springboard FutureChef, said: “I had a phenomenal day with some incredibly talented young people, and the quality of the food was mind-blowing. Kate’s celeriac dish was absolutely delicious – the pearl barley was cooked to perfection, the seasoning was excellent, and her inventive use of the celeriac skin made it a really outstanding plate of food. It’s exciting to see such promising talent coming through and I have no doubt we’ll be seeing great things from Kate in the future.”
Amanda McDade, National Head of Careers and Education for Springboard, commented: “This year’s competition has been our biggest yet, with over 16,000 young people taking part – a true testament to the growing passion and talent within the next generation of chefs. Programmes like FutureChef are vital in nurturing young culinary talent and inspiring future careers in hospitality. None of this would be possible without the invaluable support of partners like Country Range. Their commitment enables us to continue delivering meaningful opportunities, industry connections and hands-on experiences for students across the UK. With their support, we’re confident that FutureChef will remain a transformative platform for young people, opening doors to exciting careers and helping to address the industry’s skills gap. Together, we’re not just shaping future chefs; we’re cultivating the culinary stars of tomorrow.”
About the Country Range Group
With over 30 years of heritage servicing the UK & Ireland’s innovative foodservice sector, the Country Range Group is made up of 16 member businesses and 18 wholesalers – Birchall Foodservice, Blakemore Foodservice, Brook Street Foodservice, Country Valley Foods, Crowndale Foodservice, Dunns Food and Drinks, Europ Foods, First Choice Foodservice, Harlech Foodservice, Henderson Foodservice, Kitwave (including Creed Foodservice, Total Foodservice and WestCountry), McClures, Savona Foodservice, Trevors Foodservice, Valley Foods, Waterdene Foodservice.
In addition to offering the leading brands from around the globe, the Group also offers a three-tiered own brand portfolio under Country Range, Signature by Country Range and Catering Essentials.
Widely recognised by caterers as trusted and reliable brands that deliver consistent quality and value for money without compromising on taste and flavour, the 700 plus products are all developed exclusively for professional caterers and cover grocery, chilled, frozen and non-food.
The Group publishes its trade magazine Stir it up 9 times a year, which features the latest food, drink and industry news, Country Range brand promotions and in-depth trend reports and sector specific guides to support and inspire all foodservice caterers.
The Country Range Group has also entered into a three-year charitable partnership with The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation. The unique partnership will see the buying group and its members work alongside the charity to raise compassion, understanding and crucially, vital funds, to help make food allergy history.
