Kara and her renowned paella make Salon Culinaire street food final
Her unique paella dish has won a street food chef from Retford a place in the final of a national competition in London.
Kara Wilkinson of Kara's Kitchen, Retford, has qualified for the final of the Street Food Salon Competition at the International Salon Culinaire, in ExCel, London, at the end of the month.
The new competition 'showcases the innovation, energy and personality of today’s street food scene', placing street food chefs and vendor teams on the same competitive stage as some of the industry’s finest culinary talent.
Cooking from fully equipped mobile street food kitchens, contestants will serve both the judges and the crowd.
With Kara will be her former sous chef James Gill.
Dishes will be assessed by leading chefs, giving contestants an incredible platform to showcase their brand and gain recognition in one of hospitality’s most influential arenas.
Kara, 42, has been in the industry for nine years, and has been a British Street Food Awards finalist twice.
Most recently she worked from the Sherwood Ranger in Retford, before leaving in January to work a wider field.
With strong community links, she uses local providers and aims to be a sustainable business. Even her stall is made from reclaimed wood from a pub in Sheffield.
"I’m currently at Welbeck Estate for two days a week and they have a wonderful kitchen garden. We forage for ingredients such as wild garlic,” she explained.
Always a keen cook, Kara loves the social element of eating, saying “food brings people together”.
She caters for all, from high protein meals to dishes for those on special diets, vegans, vegetarians, and meat eaters.
"The paella we will make for the competition is vegetarian and vegan with the option of chicken, chorizo or seafood on top,” said Kara. “It’s healthy and tasty”.
She added: “This is a very prestigious event. We’ll be with eight other contestants, with the main aim to gain recognition for street food on the Michelin star bar.”
A spokeswoman for the competition said: “Competitors are graded on the quality of their finished dish from Bronze to Gold, so if all the dishes are extremely high quality all competitors could conceivably receive a Gold. However one will be awarded ‘Best in Class’.
"There will also be a People’s Choice award from guests at the event, tasting the dishes and voting on their favourites.
“I should say International Salon Culinaire has been running since 1902 and is a very prestigious chef competition – the street food salon is a new addition for 2026 reflecting the skill of chefs and quality of food and innovation in that sector.”
The event is free to attend. Register your interest at: https://forms.reg.buzz/hrc-2026/isc-karas-kitchen
Street food is all about being able to enjoy dishes thar are prepared and sold by independent vendors on the street, at markets, special events, or on the high street.
This type of catering appeals to many because it is a cheaper alternative to eating in a restaurant, is accessible, and often includes authentic flavours that are hard to find elsewhere.
The Street Food Salon, supported by NCASS and AMOBOX, will take place from March 30 to April 1. 2026.