JUST before Christmas, five confident young chefs set out to show their culinary skills in the students' kitchen at Lady Hawkins School, Kington.

Their target was to cook and serve a three course dinner in two-and a-half hours.

This was the first heat in a Rotary National Young Chef Competition which aims to encourage young people to develop cooking skills, food presentation, consider healthy eating options and hygiene issues and demonstrate organisational and planning skills in the kitchen.

Judging throughout the cooking session was carried out by retired chef John Savery together with Bill Sneary, Vocational Officer from Leominster Rotary Club.

The winning contestant and top chef was student Jack Cooper who will go forward and compete in a semi-final at Gloucester College, Cheltenham Campus. He will be competing against young chefs from Tewkesbury, Cheltenham, Gloucester, Nailsworth and Worcester. Two competitors from this event will go on to a district final. There is then a regional level to compete in, followed by a national final which will be held in April.

Other young student chefs who competed in the local event at Kington were Elizabeth Simcock, achieving second place on the day; Louis Xiourouppas, third place; Danielle Turner and Jake Baynham. Each of the students will receive a certificate for achieving a high degree of efficiency and standard in cooking skills. Just minor points separated all five contestants giving the judges a very difficult task. The teacher advancing the students skills to such a high competitive level in the kitchen was Emily Pugh.