A care home chef is preparing to compete for the title of Care UK’s Chef of the Year.

Lendita Pllanna, who works at Care UK’s Elmstead House care home in Park Road, Hendon, will represent Southern England in the national competition.

Ms Pllanna, who has worked at the home for six years, will compete against three other chefs in the competition’s final tomorrow.

The competition, which is run across 87 care homes, is looking to find the chef who creates the most innovative, tasty and nutritious two course meal.

Ms Pllanna said: “I love all types of cooking and I enjoy creating dishes that are nutritious but that the residents also love to eat.

“I am very lucky I love my work, I have a fantastic team and I’m really looking forward to the finals.”

Lendita wowed the judges in the last round by serving up chicken and vegetable noodle stir fry for her main course and banoffee pie for pudding.

Elmstead House manager, Diane Maddaford, said: “Lendita is a great chef and her food is scrumptious. She experiments all the time and I never know what will come next.

“The residents love her food and we often invite their relatives to join us for lunch – they are always amazed at the restaurant quality level of food that Lendita produces.”