Kent’s official school cookery contest has just named its newest ambassador, and she is eager to find a future culinary champion.

Karolyn Morgan of Whole School Meals, Betteshanger near Deal, has joined forces with Kent Cooks organisers the KM Charity Team to help spread the word and see an array of children take part in the Masterchef-style competition.

She said: “On behalf of Whole School Meals, I am simply delighted to become an ambassador for this event. Providing children with the opportunity to be creative in the kitchen enables them the chance to build upon or discover a set of skills which will greatly assist throughout their lives.”

Whole School Meals provide 25 schools across the county with high-quality, locally-sourced ingredients which provide sustainable energy and health benefits.

Kent Cooks is now officially open for nominations, and offers entrants three categories – primary, secondary and family – in which either one or two dishes are prepared.

Young chefs aged 19 and under are eligible to take part, and are encouraged to produce healthy dishes featuring local ingredients, set to a fixed budget.

All nominations must be received by Tuesday, November 1 and all applicants are required to send a photograph of their signature dish as well as recipe card.

Lisa Craig, events manager at the KM Charity Team, said: “Whole School Meals and Kent Cooks have a shared vision when it comes to food. Seeing children excited and enthusiastic about domestic science is wonderful, and teaching the importance of healthy eating and budgeting is preparing them for adulthood.”

Key partners of Kent Cooks include FFK Catering Equipment, Golding Vision (Part of Golding Homes), Chequers Kitchen Cookery School, Best Western Abbots Barton Hotel, Licensing Consultancy Services, Three R’s Teacher Recruitment, Paul Babra, S.E. Medical, Orbit South and Suzanne Howe Communications.

For more information and to submit a nomination, visit www.kentcooks.co.uk