Judges of the KM Kent Cooks competition got a grilling during the launch of the annual cookery contest for schools.

They were challenged to cook up a storm in the kitchen of the Abbots Barton Hotel, Canterbury to get a taste of what’s in store for youngsters who enter the Masterchef-style event.

The members of the judging panel getting hot under the collar included Sarah Leipnik from Golding Vision; Sean Turk of Countrystyle Recycling; Emma Owen of Three R’s Teacher Recruitment; Bill Parkinson from VooServers; Jono Erodotou of SE Medical; and Paul Babra of PaulBabra.co.uk.

The contest invites budding young chefs aged from six to 19 years to showcase their menus and compete for the Kent Cooks crown and top prizes.

To enter, students are required to cook one or two courses depending on the competition category, take a photograph of the completed dish and upload the image to kentcooks.co.uk. All entries will be published on the website as online recipe cards.

Categories include Primary School, Secondary School, and Families for adult-and-child entrants.

Kent Cooks is organised by the KM Charity Team with the backing of organisations including Mini Babybel, Kent Cookery School, Orbit South, Brakes and Licensing Consultancy Services.

Simon Dolby from the KM Charity Team said: “We’re expecting a range of abilities but we’re looking for entries that show creativity and an awareness of healthy options and locally sourced ingredients.”

Parents or teachers should complete the simple online entry form on the entrant’s behalf before midnight on Tuesday, November 3.

Finalists will be invited to make their dish for the judging panel at an exciting Masterchef-style event staged at East Kent College, Broadstairs.

To enter, view previous entries or request leaflets for schools, visit kentcooks.co.uk.