Jane Jones, who is from Ruthin and works at Ysgol Twm o'r Nant, represented Wales at the 2019 LACA School Chef of the Year national finals last week

Jane Jones, from Ruthin, competed in the Lead Association for Catering in Education (LACA) School Chef of the Year 2019 national finals in Stratford-upon-Avon last Thursday.

The 49-year-old, who has worked at Ysgol Twm o'r Nant in Denbigh for the last five years, represented Wales in the finals after winning the regional heats back in January.

Jane's journey has taken her from Denbighshire, across the UK, and even onto "The One Show" on BBC, where she and her fellow competitors appeared live on TV.

"We travelled to London and had the chance to meet chef Gregg Wallace, who was a real larger than life character," Jane said.

"Overall, the experience has been brilliant and I feel that I have learnt a lot from it. I have met some great people along the way, all of whom shared the same goal - to promote healthier eating for children."

Jane at the Laca School Chef of the Year National finals.

Having now returned to her routine with Ysgol Twm o'r Nant, Jane says that she is grateful for the support she received from those around her during her journey to the finals.

"One of the children said they had really missed me whilst I've been gone, which I thought was lovely," she added.

"I would really like to thank my colleagues, my friends and my family for showing me so much love and support throughout this process."

Jane says she will be re-applying for the LACA School Chef of the Year competition next year, where she hopes to "finish in the top three places."