‘Super Cook’ Trisha McKell retires – and is set to gain the best gift yet!
Trisha McKell always said she didn’t want to retire until she had grandchildren – and now, as she steps away from her role a Head Cook at Bantaskin Primary School today (Friday 14 March 2025), that wish is set to come true!
In the same week she hung up her apron after 30 years in the school’s kitchen, the 65-year-old from Falkirk found out her daughter-in-law was pregnant … with her very first grandchild!
After working as a nurse for four years before becoming a hairdresser, Trisha – a mum of two - was on the lookout for a job that would fit around school hours.
With her children, Laura and Liam, both pupils at Bantaskin, the school kitchen seemed the perfect place to start, and in 1995 her journey to become the Head Cook began.
Her fondest memories of her time at the school are of the “happy wee faces” of thousands of children she’s helped feed – and the fun she’s had with her colleagues.
She said:
The kids can be so kind. Over the years I’ve received letters telling me what a good cook I am – one even said I was a ‘super cook’, which was lovely. I really will miss seeing their smiling faces and the stories they tell me about what they got up to at the weekend.
“I’ve loved my time in the kitchen and have worked with great people. We laugh every day. I really have made some lifelong friends. Some of my happiest memories are of our trips that we used to take together to Newcastle at Christmas time.
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What about the food she’s served over the years?
She said:
“It’s got a lot healthier. We’re always encouraging the kids to eat their fruit and veg - and they’re all so much better at eating it nowadays! There was one boy who hated peas and one day, a pea dropped off my spoon and onto his plate. He said it was an ‘esca-pea’ and from that day on he ate peas!”
With retirement ahead, Trisha is trading her white uniform for walking boots and travel guides -before she takes on her most exciting role yet: grandmother!
She said:
I like walking and hope to join a walking group to meet different people. I’ve also got holidays booked to enjoy with my husband of 40 years, Alex. He’s been retired for a while now, so he’s got some adjusting to do as I’ll be in the house more! Then we’ll welcome our first grandchild. That really is the best present I could ever have wished for.
Headteacher Andrew Blaikie said:
Trisha has been a much-loved part of our school community for three decades. Her warmth, kindness, and sense of fun have made lunchtimes something to look forward to for generations of pupils. We will all miss her greatly, but she leaves behind a wonderful legacy - and we wish her all the best in this exciting new chapter.