Young chefs can earn a share of £500 by showing off their creativity in the kitchen.

The county’s annual Masterchef-style event, Kent Cooks, is now open for entries from primary and secondary school pupils, as well as family teams.

Every dish entered is published as an online recipe page and a panel of food industry experts will select top entrants from each of the three categories to a live cook-off and awards lunch.

The latest addition to the Kent Cooks judging panel is Julie Rook, finance manager of J.C. Rook and Sons the butchers. The firm has more than a dozen high street outlets and supplies school kitchens and restaurants across the county.

Julie Rook said: “Rooks are absolutely delighted to support Kent Cooks. We want all young people to get involved so get your entries in now.

“We have been producing great food for the people of Kent for the last 50 years and nothing is more exciting than kids getting creative in the kitchen. It’s really important that young people understand where quality ingredients have come from and how important a healthy diet really is.”

The deadline to enter via the Kent Cooks website is midnight on Tuesday, November 3, but event organiser Simon Dolby said pupils should not leave it too late to get involved. He said: “To take part a young person must cook their dish and then photograph their creation as the photo will appear on their online recipe page. With a large cash prize available to the winners I hope this will inspire and excite even more entrants this year.”

As well as J.C. Rook and Sons other organisations represented on the judging panel include the Abbots Barton Hotel, Kent Cookery School, Brakes, Countrystyle Recycling, Orbit South, Golding Vision, Paul Babra curry club, Babybel, Three R’s teacher recruitment, VooServers, East Kent College, S.E. Medical and Licensing Consultancy Services.

Schools can request a quantity of Kent Cooks information leaflets to give to pupils via book bags at primary level or direct to home economics and GCSE catering students by visiting the website www.kentcooks.co.uk.