The six finalists have been announced. Now it is time to meet the people they will be cooking for.
On 2 September 2026, Robert from Hilton Court, Eilidh from Antonine House, Paul from St Modans, Emma-Jane from Kynnaird House, Dawn from Crimond House and Kash from Greenan Manor will head to City of Glasgow College for the final of Meallmore's annual Meals Means More competition.
They will face a 90-minute cook-off before presenting their dishes to a judging panel bringing together experience from social care, luxury hospitality, professional kitchens and, importantly, the people who live in our homes.
And there will be one more judge on the day. A surprise resident judge, whose identity will remain under wraps until the competition begins.
A panel with very different perspectives
Meals Means More has always been about more than technical cooking ability. The competition challenges our chefs to think about flavour, presentation, nutrition, creativity, individual preferences and what makes a dining experience genuinely enjoyable for residents.
That means the judging panel needs to bring more than one perspective to the table. This year's panel combines decades of experience in care and hospitality with a resident voice at the heart of the final decision. You can see how food fits into daily routines across our homes on our Life at Meallmore page.
Carol-Anne Foote, Operations Director, Meallmore
Carol-Anne Foote brings more than two decades of experience across clinical care, operational management and strategic leadership in Scotland's social care sector.
She began her career as a Registered Mental Health Nurse before progressing through frontline care and management roles. Since joining Meallmore in 2005, Carol-Anne has held a number of leadership positions, including Care Home Manager, Area Manager, Commissioning and Business Development Manager and, most recently, Operations Director. She has also completed an Executive Master's degree in Business Innovation and Leadership.
Throughout her career, Carol-Anne has remained focused on person-centred care, colleague development and creating environments where residents can thrive. Her experience spans quality improvement, service development, change management and the recruitment and development of high-performing teams.
As a Meals Means More judge, Carol-Anne will be looking beyond what arrives on the plate. She will bring a resident-focused perspective to the judging process, considering the overall dining experience and recognising the passion, innovation, teamwork and attention to detail behind each dish.
For Carol-Anne, the competition is also an opportunity to celebrate the colleagues who make food and hospitality such an important part of everyday life across Meallmore.
Eddie Easdon, Head of Sales, Campbells Prime Meat
Eddie Easdon brings more than 40 years of hospitality experience to this year's judging panel.
Before moving into the HORECA sales sector, Eddie spent 25 years working in five-star kitchens across the UK, giving him first-hand experience of the demands, standards and discipline of professional cooking. For the past 30 years, he has also led high-performing sales teams within the hospitality sector and is now Head of Sales at Campbells Prime Meat.
Alongside his commercial role, Eddie remains passionate about developing the next generation of chefs and leads training days for young culinary professionals.
"There's nothing better than seeing young people come through the industry, grow in confidence and develop their skills," he said.
That combination of professional kitchen experience and commitment to development will give Eddie a particularly interesting perspective on this year's finalists, several of whom have built their careers through very different routes. If that sounds like a route you would like to take, our careers pages set out how our own kitchen and hospitality teams develop.
Away from hospitality, Eddie also has a lifelong passion for boxing, having held three titles, as well as being a keen football fan.
Ryan Murphy, Executive Chef, Trump Turnberry
Ryan Murphy is Executive Chef in Charge of Food & Beverage at Trump Turnberry, where he leads the culinary operation across one of Scotland's most recognised five-star resorts.
With more than 20 years of experience, Ryan has built his career across luxury hotels, award-winning restaurants and large-scale hospitality operations. His previous roles include Executive Head Chef at Leonardo Royal Hotel Glasgow and leading the culinary operation at Murrayfield Stadium, where he oversaw a brigade of 65 chefs while delivering food and beverage operations for major sporting and entertainment events. Ryan also spent time at Cromlix House Hotel, developing his experience in seasonal and French-inspired cuisine.
His career achievements include the Academy of Culinary Arts Annual Award of Excellence, a Bronze Award in Scottish Chef of the Year and finalist recognition in the British Hospitality Association Young Chef of the Year competition.
At Turnberry, Ryan champions Scottish produce and works closely with local suppliers to showcase ingredients from Ayrshire and across Scotland. The resort's signature 1906 restaurant currently holds two AA Rosettes.
Ryan brings a combination of technical expertise, large-scale operational experience and fine-dining standards to the judging panel.
Scott Scorer, Head Chef, Ballathie House Hotel
Scott Scorer is Head Chef at Ballathie House Hotel in Perthshire, where he leads the kitchen team in delivering a dining experience centred on quality, seasonality and Scottish produce.
His career has included time at some of Scotland's most respected hospitality establishments, including Gleneagles, where he developed his experience within luxury hotel and fine-dining kitchens.
At Ballathie, Scott combines classical culinary foundations with contemporary Scottish cooking, using seasonal ingredients and maintaining strong relationships with local suppliers. Under his leadership, Ballathie House Hotel has maintained its two AA Rosette recognition.
Scott's approach places equal importance on flavour, presentation and consistency, while recognising the role teamwork plays behind every successful service. He brings significant luxury hospitality experience, technical knowledge and a passion for Scottish produce to this year's panel.
And one judge we are keeping secret
Alongside Carol-Anne, Eddie, Ryan and Scott will be someone whose opinion matters enormously to Meals Means More. One of our residents.
The identity of our surprise resident judge will not be revealed until competition day. Their role reflects something fundamental to the competition. Ultimately, the food prepared in Meallmore kitchens every day is for the people who live in our homes.
Technical skill matters. Presentation matters. Nutrition matters. But so does whether someone actually wants to eat it.
Our resident judge will therefore bring a completely different perspective to the panel and make sure the resident voice remains part of the final decision.
What happens on competition day?
The finalists will arrive at City of Glasgow College from 10am, giving them time to familiarise themselves with the kitchen, check equipment and make sure every ingredient is ready.
Following interviews and introductions, the judges will arrive ahead of a canape lunch and kitchen briefing. Then, at 12.30pm, the competition begins.
The six chefs will have 90 minutes to prepare their dishes before final judging takes place from 2pm. Each finalist will present their food directly to the judges before the day concludes with presentations to all six competitors.
It promises to be a serious test of skill, organisation and creativity, with a panel more than capable of asking a few difficult questions along the way.
Six finalists. Five judges. One title.
This year's Meals Means More final brings together colleagues with very different culinary backgrounds.
- Robert returns as defending champion.
- Dawn, Paul and Eilidh bring previous competition experience.
- Emma-Jane has progressed from Kitchen Assistant to Third Cook.
- Kash brings her own cultural influences and passion for resident dining.
On 2 September, all six will have the same kitchen, the same clock and one opportunity to impress the judges.
If you have not already met the finalists, read their stories in our feature: Six Routes Into a Meallmore Kitchen: Meet the Meals Means More Finalists.
Then check back after 2 September to find out who will become the Meals Means More Champion 2026. You can also browse all of our care homes or read more from our news hub.
Good luck to all six finalists. And to our judges... come hungry.
