Jane Jones of Ruthin says she is "chuffed" to have won and is now looking forward to representing Wales in the National Finals

Jane Jones, who has worked as a cook at Ysgol Twm o'r Nant in Denbigh for the last five years, competed in the Welsh finals at Weston College, Weston-super-Mare on January 23.

Having been announced as the winner, she will now go on to represent Wales in the National Finals to be held in Stratford Upon Avon on March 7.

The two dishes Jane prepared at the Regional Finals. PICTURE: James Kennedy.

Against the clock and under the scrutiny of a panel of judges, Jane and Joanne had to prepare four portions of a main course and a dessert suitable for 11 year olds at school.

Commenting on having won the competition, the humble 49-year-old from Ruthin said: "I don't like to big myself up a lot but I am chuffed to have won.

"I think if I had come away without winning, it would have been gutting because I worked hard for it."

Jane, who says her inspiration for cooking stems from her mother, was crowned champion in the finals after preparing two delicious courses.

For her main, she cooked her 'Marvellous Meatballs' dish - consisting of lamb meatballs served in a tortilla bouche, veg kebabs, rosemary potatoes and yoghurt dip. For dessert, she prepared a fruit-topped shortbread served with a quenelle of lavender cream.

Jane revealed that, in preparation for her big day, she ran a few trial runs with the Ysgol Twm O'r Nant children - who say they love her roast dinner and lasagne meals.

"The Year five and six pupils who helped me out are brutally honest so I knew that if I received positive feedback from them, then that was a good place to start.

"Following the finals and thanks to feedback from the judges, I now know what I need to improved ahead of the nationals.I will be preparing the same courses but I hope I can make them even better next time around."

The Lead Association for Catering in Education (LACA) School Chef of the Year Competition has been the flagship event for school chefs to showcase their professional skills for more than twenty years.

LACA officials said the line up of dishes on this year’s contestants’ menus was "not only impressive" but also "demonstrated the exceptional culinary expertise of today’s school chefs".

The reigning LACA School Chef of Year 2018 is Michael Goulston from Stevenage, Hertfordshire.