A children’s cookery competition calling for entries has received the seal of approval from the television presenter of BBC One’s Celebrity MasterChef.

Gregg Wallace, who also presents MasterChef and MasterChef: The Professionals, is urging young people, schools, and families to get involved with the Kent Cooks competition.

He said: “This competition is a fantastic opportunity for children to get creative in the kitchen. It is good to see a charity on my own doorstep encouraging young people to get cooking. It is also a great way to get them to think about healthy eating and sourcing local produce.”

Kent Cooks is open to any child or young person aged six to 19 years to enter before the November 7 deadline. Categories include Primary School, Secondary School, and Family for ‘adult and child’ team entries, allowing the whole family to get involved.

Contestants prepare a tasty and healthy recipe and take a photograph of the finished meal. Parents, guardians, or teachers can assist them in uploading photographs and recipe details using the simple online entry form at the Kent Cooks website. All entries will be displayed as online recipe cards allowing others to view their efforts and even try out the recipes for themselves.

Event organiser Maxine Tarquini said: “We are thrilled to have Gregg’s support for the competition and hope this encourages more schools and families to take part. Kent Cooks offers young people the chance to have fun while learning an essential life skill: how to cook nutritious and delicious food to a fixed budget.”

Young chefs submitting the best entries will be invited to cook at an exciting live final staged at East Kent College, Broadstairs with a share of £500 up for grabs for the winners.

The judging panel will include representatives from NFU Mutual, S.E. Medical, Golding Vision (part of Golding Homes), Orbit, Benenden Hospital Trust, Best Western Abbots Barton Hotel, Three R’s Teacher Recruitment, Chequers Kitchen Cookery School, Licensing Consultancy Services, Suzanne Howe Communications, FFK Catering, The Southern Co-operative, Whole School Meals, and Brakes.

To enter, view recipe cards, or request promotional leaflets, visit www.kentcooks.co.uk.