A SAUCHIE woman's caring cooking and quiet enthusiasm was rewarded with a top award.

Local Lorraine Bennett, who works at Marchglen Care Centre, scooped the Care Chef of the Year accolade at Caring Homes Group's Recognition Awards for staff.

She was shortlisted following a review of thousands of nominations with judges saying: “Lorraine goes about her work quietly and enthusiastically. She visits the residents and gets to know their individual tastes and preferences.”

Lorraine, who is second chef at the Fishcross nursing home, told the Advertiser she was “very overwhelmed” and “taken aback”when she received her trophy at the awards ceremony in Watford, near London.

She thanked her two colleagues in the catering team and explained it is all about team work when it comes to dishing up tasty meals for the residents.

“We just work as a team”, she said ,“Without their support I would not have been anywhere.”

Together with the head chef and the catering assistant, they always make sure there are alternatives if someone does not fancy what is on the menu.

Moreover, the team holds tasting days at the care home, something that service users always look forward to.

Lorraine explained by saying: “Anything we are going to introduce, they get to come around to Abercromby Court and have a tasting afternoon with all the different meals.

“They enjoy that and then we see if we can put that on the menu for them. It's good fun and they get a wee questionnaire, they let us know what they think.”

The awards ceremony itself was attended by more than 340 guests with colleagues and business partners celebrating the most outstanding staff.

Paul Jeffery, CEO at Caring Homes Group, added: “The Recognition Awards 2017 provided an opportunity to showcase talent, dedication and commitment, as well as demonstrate the crucial role our professionals play in caring for some of the most vulnerable people in our society.

“It’s very important that we celebrate success, from the finalists nominated, to the thousands of our colleagues making a significant contribution to caring for and supporting people all over the UK.”