Twenty two young budding chefs have competed at three schools in Christchurch to become one of three finalists who will take part in a cook-off during the Food & Wine Festival to win the title of Junior Cook of the Year.

Ten students from Twynham School and six at both The Grange School and Highcliffe School had to cook two courses which were then sampled by the judges during each of the school finals.

This year’s judges were Festival patron Lesley Waters, Festival president Mary Reader, president of sponsors Christchurch Rotary Club Vee Young along with local chefs Adam Scorer, Ian Hewitt and Paul Putt.

In each of the schools the judges had a difficult job choosing between the excellent meals served up by all of the students, but the winners were eventually announced.

Jack Thorpe won the Twynham School heat with a salmon fillet with a tomato salsa on a bed of salad leaves with new potatoes and garlic and chive butter along with a dessert of a citrus syllabub with amaretti biscuits.

The Grange School winner was Ashley Best who cooked seared tuna with asparagus, chips and a tomato sauce and an Eton mess of strawberries, meringue and cream.

Sam Wiles was named Highcliffe School champion with lemon grass and honey chicken with noodles and spring onion followed by a raspberry shortcake stack.

Jack, Ashley and Sam now have the daunting task of cooking their meal in front of an audience in the Rangemaster cookery theatre in the marquee in Saxon Square starting at 9.15am on the first day of the Food & Wine Festival, Friday 8 May.

Lesley Waters said: “Every year when I come to Christchurch I get more and more ideas from the students and every year the standard just keeps going up. It’s a real pleasure to see these young people become empowered in the kitchen producing great food.”