Have you got the X Factor in the kitchen? Do you attend secondary school in Kent and are you in Years 7-11?

If the answer to all these questions is yes and you think you've got what it takes to sizzle in the kitchen, the search is now on for the county's most talented young cooks in the Kent Young Chef Award 2010.

Kent Young Chef Award is the brainchild of food and drink champions Produced in Kent and has the backing of KM Group newspapers and kmfm.

This year's search to find the county's young and innovative recipe creators and young chefs has attracted the sponsorship support of Hadlow College, food supplier kff and Woods Restaurant, Produce Store & Bars.

To enter, simply dream up and write a main-course recipe to serve two people using seasonal autumn ingredients and produce that is widely grown, produced and reared in Kent.

Then send in your recipe - using the official entry form onwww.producedinkent.co.uk- before the closing date of Friday, October 29.

There are two categories to give you the best chance of making it to the final, with the junior category open to Years 7-8 and senior category open to Years 9, 10 & 11.

Produced in Kent manager Julie Monkman said: "Last year we saw hundreds of senior students come up with all manner of innovative recipe ideas and the eight finalists had an incredible experience at the live cook-off."

The authors of the eight best main-course recipe ideas will be invited to travel to Thanet College to take part in the live cook-off on Friday, November 26.

The eight finalists will cook their dishes in front of a judging panel that will include celebrity chef Richard Phillips.

WHAT YOU CAN WIN

THE TWO WINNERS

• Kent Young Chef Award trophies
• Design-A-3-Course-Menu at Woods Restaurant and take part in the Kent Young Chef Award Charity Dinner on Thursday, January 20, 2011, at Woods
• Beautiful hamper packed with local Kentish produce, kindly donated by Woods Produce Store at the Kent Young Chef Award Charity Dinner
• THE EIGHT FINALISTS
• Branded Kent Young Chef Award aprons
• Framed certificates
• Kent Young Chef Award Day at one of Richard Phillips restaurants at Chapel Down, the Hengist or Thackeray's
• Finalist recipes to appear on the Produced in Kent website
• Enjoy being a celebrity in the local media, courtesy of KM newspapers, kentonline & kmfm radio

How to enter

STEP 1

• Go to www.producedinkent.co.uk to find the entry form and full rules of entry. Write a main-course recipe to serve two people using:
• A: SEASONAL ingredients- readily available between September and November
• B: LOCAL ingredients- all MAIN ingredients should be grown/produced in Kent
• C: Your MAIN course dish can be vegetarian, meat or fish
• D: Make it ORIGINAL- you can adapt an existing recipe but DO NOT directly copy it
• Email your official entry to youngchef@wac.uk.com before the deadline of Friday, October 29

STEP 2

• The authors of the eight most original and interesting recipes that use SEASONAL and LOCAL ingredients will be invited to take part in the Live Cook-off at Thanet College on Friday, November 26, in front of a live audience and the judges.