The Lexington Independents team at Kent College has made history after winning the 2026 Lexington Casual Dining Competition with The Isaan Project, the first time a Lexington Independents school team has taken the competition's top prize.
Led by Head Pastry Chef Kitty Whiteley, the winning concept celebrates the bold flavours, traditions and community spirit of Northeastern Thailand, drawing inspiration from the region where Chef Kitty grew up.
At the heart of The Isaan Project is the story of Chef Kitty's grandmother, affectionately known as Khun-Ya. Her handwritten recipe notebook, passed down through generations, inspired the dishes served during the competition and formed the foundation of the team's concept, bringing family heritage and authentic regional cuisine to life.
The annual Lexington Casual Dining Competition challenges teams to develop a completely original dining brand, including a full menu, branding, uniforms, marketing strategy and mobilisation plan. This year, 29 teams entered the competition, with only five progressing to the final after an extensive judging process.
Held at OKN1 in Hackney, the final welcomed more than 200 clients and guests, who sampled each concept and voted for their favourite, contributing to the overall result.
Competing against concepts inspired by Jamaican, Chinese, Singaporean and Venetian cuisine, The Isaan Project impressed judges with its authenticity, storytelling and commercial potential.
Kitty said:
"Winning this competition is incredibly overwhelming. Fire from Isaan, stories from home – that's what this concept is built on. I wanted to bring the bold flavours of Northeastern Thailand to a new audience and represent my family's recipes and my Grandma's legacy.
"It is my Grandma's cooking and recipes that fuelled this award win and I'm really proud that her memory lives on. She is behind every dish and to have that recognised means everything to us."
The competition was judged by an expert panel including James Golding, Dhruv Baker, Mike Carter and Tom Geoffrey.
Dhruv Baker commented:
"The Isaan Project is a commercially ready-to-go concept that offers diners an insight into traditional family recipes from a specific region in Thailand, and that's what makes it so magical."
The victory marks an important milestone for Lexington Independents, highlighting the exceptional culinary talent within school catering and demonstrating that innovation can thrive in every sector of hospitality.