A leading telecomms provider in Rochester is backing a competition to find the most talented young chefs in the county.

Strood-based Carefree Communications is supporting school cookery contest KM Kent Cooks which is organised by the KM Charity Team and encourages kids to get creative in the kitchen.

UK sales director at Carefree James Bradley said: “We have found talent in all of our young employees and now look forward to finding the talent in the kitchens of Kent.”

Youngsters aged five to 18 years enter Kent Cooks by preparing a dish they consider to be healthy and uploading a photograph of the food along with recipe details to the www.kentcooks.co.uk website.

Event organiser Julia Williamson of Kent Cooks said: “The aim of the competition is to equip students with the desire to eat more healthily and the knowledge of how to achieve it.”

She added: “This year we’ve introduced a fantastic cash prize so the winners will receive a goody bag, a Masterchef cook book and a share of £500.”

Finalists from the primary, secondary and family categories will be invited to attend the live cook-off on Thursday, November 27 when category winners and the overall KM Kent Cooks champion will be announced.

Kent Cooks is also supported by Countrystyle Recycling, Mini Babybel, Three R’s Teacher Recruitment, DFDS Seaways, Southern Water, Kent Cookery School, Orbit South, Brakes, Golding Homes, VooServers and Licensing Consultancy Services.

The closing date for entries is Tuesday, November 4. Find out more at www.kentcooks.co.uk.