Rachel gives Jamie the 'bird' in contest
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
A WORLD-famous chef has been pipped in the pecking order of a national award by a home economics teacher from Strathspey.
Rachel Richards, who teaches the domestic sciences at Kingussie High School, finished third in a key category at this year's nationwide Eat Game Awards.
The contest celebrates the use of wild produce such as grouse and venison.
And Mrs Richards so impressed judges with her efforts to educate pupils of the taste delights of game that she finished ahead of celebrity chef Jamie Oliver in the list of hopefuls for the Game Hero title.
Only Scott Rea – a YouTuber with a huge fan base – and TV chef James Martin finished higher than Mrs Richards.
She also outperformed fellow big names Rosemary Shrager and Angela Hartnett.
"I'm really humbled and pleased by this result, especially as it was a national award," said Mrs Richards.
She added: "To say I was shocked was an understatement.
"To be nominated in the first place and to come third amid such illustrious competitors is amazing.
"Not bad for a home economics teacher."
She added that the success would not have been possible without the support of the school children, saying they had been "onside" with the project from the start. "The kids, to give them due credit, got stuck in and got on with everything.
"We've got some pretty amazing students in Kingussie."
She also praised the Speyside Moorland Group for helping to support her trip to the London awards ceremony.
Her awards success can trace it roots back to a silent auction in aid of school funds, when she bid on a side of venison and won.
In the wake of that successful bid she built up a relationship with the Ralia Estate, which offered to provide the school with partridges and pheasants so she could show the children their food's journey from farm to fork.
Ultimately, around 300 of the birds were provided for use by the pupils. The classes taught the youngsters how the birds are normally processed, before using them in a number of recipes.
And judges in the Eat Game Awards took an interest after a post highlighting Mrs Richards' classes went viral online.
Mrs Richards said she hopes that the success of her project might encourage other schools to follow suit, adding "if others want to get involved that would be great."
A spokesman for Kingussie High School said Mrs Richards' success was all the more remarkable given that it was based "on a national public vote of 4000 nominations in nine categories".
They added: "We are all very proud of our brilliant home economics teacher Mrs Richards."
