Her dessert titled ‘Books, the Mind’s Food’ was voted the favourite dish of this year’s show. Francis swapped school lunches like Beef Short Rib Pie, Falafel Plates and Harissa Baked Fish with jewelled couscous for a dessert of hay infused set cream, fermented strawberries, strawberry gel and tempered white chocolate disc.

The dessert triumphed, scoring full marks in the South West heats and going on to win her the title of champion of champions after being served at a historical banquet at Blenheim Palace.

Francis said: “I feel unbelievably proud and never dreamt of winning champion of champions - it has been a remarkable journey! While the dishes I served on the show were different to what I serve to students, the aim is the same - to create enjoyment and spark curiosity or conversations about food.” 

An ambitious chef from a young age, Francis started her career in fine dining where she won awards for her food and appeared on an earlier series of Great British Menu. However, in 2023 she made the move to more closely align her work with her community values, becoming a school chef. 

Supported by Chefs in Schools, a charity on a mission to serve up innovative, fresh school food that educates children and improves their health, Francis took on the role of school chef at Christ’s College and retrained the existing kitchen team, introducing new menus and food education initiatives at the school.

Every week, Francis now serves up ‘Try Something New Tuesday’ - unusual ingredients, such as badger flame beetroot or chanterelle mushrooms, free of charge, to encourage pupils to sample different flavours. Francis and her team also make all dishes from scratch, with fresh ingredients, and have plans to grow produce onsite, putting food at the heart of the school.

Nicole Pisani, co-founder of Chefs in Schools and former head chef at Ottolenghi’s NOPI, added: “To see Amber on our screens, cooking such beautiful food and showcasing the creativity within the school food community is a proud moment.

“School kitchens are full of creative chefs who are providing future generations with a good meal. And we offer training to chefs who want to be more creative. We hope Amber’s story inspires other schools and chefs to join the school food revolution.”

To find out more about the school food revolution and a school chef career, visit: www.chefsinschools.org.uk.