A local, award winning, teenage chef is set to grill other young, future Heston Blumenthals and Nigella Lawsons, passing on her expertise as a judge in Northamptonshire’s exciting Budding Chef competition.

Bethany Dare, 15, Market Harborough, a finalist in the national, Future Chef competition, will join a prestigious panel including Northamptonshire’s own, Michelin starred chef, Adam Gray, in the final of the competition.

The event, organised by Shires Cookery School, in Northampton and aimed at 8 to 11-year-olds, is searching for enthusiastic young cooks from the local area to prove their creative, hidden talent.

Entrants can either work on their own or team up with a friend to cook up a two course “Taste of Summer” menu using local ingredients of up to £10 and demonstrating an understanding of nutritional value.

Bethany, who fought off nearly 8,000 other youngsters, through four stages, into the final of the Future Chef competition faced strict judging at the hands of top chefs including Theo Randall from London’s InterContinental Hotel, Park Lane, and celebrity chef Lesley Waters.

She says she’s delighted to be passing on some of her own experience. “I’m looking forward to helping up and coming talent,” she said, “it’s actually very exciting. “However, I remember how it felt when I entered and competed, so I aim to be very fair, I know what it’s like to be on the receiving end!

“I always think when you cook you reveal a little bit of your own personality because you have to be creative and I can’t wait to see what the competing chefs come up with.” Bethany is currently studying food technology and chemistry at Robert Smyth School, in Market Harborough, aiming for a specialist career in catering.

The three finalists in the Budding Chef competition will have the chance to cook their dishes with the help of a professional chef  at  Northamptonshire Foodshow @ Holdenby sponsored by Bell Sunday, August 29th. Shires Cookery School owner and competition organiser, Wendy Carter, says she’s thrilled to have Bethany on the judging panel, “We wanted a teenage, talented chef to encourage and mentor the other young competitors and we were so excited when Bethany agreed,” said Wendy. “I think it encourages them to aspire to bigger and better things just as Bethany has and they can relate to someone closer to their age group.”

The overall winner of the budding chef competition will receive £200 worth of cookery equipment plus other individual prizes. Deadline for entries is 23 July. Download the  Entry form