One of the winners of kitchen contest Young Cooks has used the competition as a springboard for further Masterchef-style experience.

Secondary schools winner Amelia Page was one of nine contestants in the Kent and East Sussex district final of the Rotary Young Chef Competition on January 26.

She impressed the judges with a menu comprising butternut squash soup with parmesan crisp; salmon en croute with pea puree, tender stem broccoli and kale; and granny smith apple sorbet with blackberry sauce and fresh blackberries and apple pieces.

Competition organiser Carol Vizzard said: “Although Amelia did not win the competition, I hope she enjoyed the event.

“She worked really hard, and hopefully she will carry on with her cooking, and we will see her again in future competitions.”

Amelia, who is a pupil at Invicta Grammar in Maidstone, was one of nine contestants in the Rotary district final.

Entries are now open for this year’s Young Cooks.

The competition is organised by the KM Charity Team, and supported by NFU Mutual, SE Medical, Golding Vision, Orbit, Benenden Hospital Trust, Best Western Abbots Barton Hotel, Three R’s Teacher Recruitment, Chequers Kitchen Cookery School, Licensing Consultancy Services, The Southern Co-operative, Whole School Meals, Brakes, East Kent College and Macknade Fine Foods.

KM Charity Team chief executive officer Simon Dolby: “I’m so pleased that Amelia has gone on to enjoy fresh success after impressing all the Young Cooks judges so much.

“This is exactly the sort of result we had in mind when we set up Young Cooks –inspiring young people to use their skills and creativity in the kitchen and with an enduring passion for good food.”

The winners of Young Cooks share £500 in prize money, with separate primary-school, family, secondary-school and overall prizes being handed out.

Any child or young person aged 6 to 19 can enter, and the finalists will be invited to cook their dishes for a VIP panel at the live Masterchef-style final.

See www.youngcooks.co.uk for more information.