After a thrilling semi-final at Leeds City College’s Printworks Campus, six outstanding chefs have been selected to compete in the grand final of HC-One’s inaugural Chef of the Year competition.
On 23 July 2025, the finalists will bring their skill, heart and creativity to the kitchen once more — this time at The Grand Hotel in York — in a celebration of the passion and professionalism found in care home catering.
From chefs with decades in hospitality to those who’ve trained around the world or served royalty, each finalist has a unique story, but one shared purpose for caring with kindness in HC-One care homes – through good food, and meaningful mealtimes.
Meet the finalists
Duane Brown – Head Chef, Bradley Hall Care Home in the Midlands
Duane’s culinary journey began as a trainee butcher in Durham before joining the Army in 1991, where he trained as a chef and cooked around the world — including on operational tours in Northern Ireland, Bosnia and Kosovo. He has catered for British embassies, royalty and major sporting events such as Royal Ascot and Wimbledon. After recovering from serious illness, Duane returned to the kitchen in the hospitality sector before making the move into care catering. Now at Bradley Hall, he brings resilience, experience and pride to every plate he serves.
Roy Simpson – Head Chef, Balfarg Care Home in Scotland
Roy brings over 40 years of experience in the catering industry, having trained through the prestigious Trust House Forte programme at the Post House Hotel in Edinburgh. His career has spanned hotels, restaurants and fine dining establishments, but it’s at Balfarg Care Home where he says he’s found a true sense of community. Roy’s passion for quality food and his values of kindness and care shine through in everything he creates.
Mark Evans – Chef Manager, Augustus Court Care Home in the North East
Mark began his catering career at just 14 as a kitchen porter, becoming a head chef by the age of 17. Over the years, he has worked across a range of venues — from Michelin Guide-listed restaurants and gastropubs to Greek and Turkish kitchens. Mark takes great pride in mentoring young chefs, many of whom have gone on to lead their own kitchens or open successful restaurants. At Augustus Court, he continues to bring both expertise and inspiration to the table.
Sean Hampson – Chef, Rosebridge Court Care Home In the North West
With over 30 years in hospitality, Sean’s culinary career began in 1988 and took him through a variety of kitchen roles, including 23 years at The Owls restaurant. At 52, Sean made the move into care catering — a refreshing and rewarding new challenge. He now brings passion, experience and a love of good food to the team at Rosebridge Court, where he’s enjoying the chance to make a meaningful difference every day.
Philip Greenwood – Chef Manager, Elstree Court Care Home in the South
Philip started his journey in hospitality straight from school, training as a chef before gaining experience across the UK and abroad. He worked as a development chef for The Pelican Group, helping launch Café Rouge sites, and held roles in city centre restaurants and gastropubs. After settling in Eastbourne, Philip transitioned into care catering during the pandemic and hasn’t looked back. He’s passionate about delivering restaurant-quality food with a caring touch — and still finds time to enjoy walks with his dog and adrenaline-filled rides on his sports bike.
Beata (Betty) Matusiak – Chef, Harley Grange Care Home in the Midlands
Originally from Poland, Betty is a graduate of gastronomy school and began her career in restaurants before finding her true calling in care catering. She brings over a decade of experience to the kitchen, combining the bold flavours of traditional Polish dishes with modern techniques to create comforting, memorable meals. Outside of work, Betty enjoys trekking, reading and raising two young adventurers of her own.
We’d also like to say a special thank you to our partners for supporting our chefs in this fantastic competition: EF-group, Nestlé Professional, Unox UK Ltd, Lockhart's Catering and Contiquip Ltd.
We’re incredibly proud of all our semi-finalists and wish the best of luck to our final six. Whatever the outcome, each has already made an unforgettable contribution to their care home and the people living there.