A COOKERY school has launched a culinary competition in partnership with a Help for Heroes recovery centre to offer veterans a taste of life in a professional kitchen.

Swinton Park Cookery School, near Masham, is running the competition for the second year after its previous success working with veterans from Phoenix House recovery centre in Catterick Garrison.

The joint initiative sees four competitors paired with chefs from the region’s top restaurants, who will teach them a signature dish in preparation for a final cook-off at Swinton Park on November 16.

The participating chefs are Joshua Overington at Le Cochon Aveugle in York; Richard Allen at Rockliffe Hall, Darlington; Steve Smith of the Freemasons at Wiswell in Lancashire and Simon Crannage at Samuel’s at Swinton Park.

The competitors, who were selected from dozens of applicants for their keen interest in cookery, will have the chance to win a week’s training in the professional kitchens at Swinton Park plus a set of professional pans by Meyer.

The competition was primarily introduced to inspire veterans with a passion for food, also aims to provide motivation to help facilitate a smooth transition to civilian life for those whose military career has ended through wounding, injury or sickness.

The first competition was won by Ted Granger from Brompton-on-Swale. He said: "I did wonder whether I should be putting myself in a situation where a trigger may initiate panic or anxiety or anger but with support from staff at Phoenix House, I decided to push my boundaries. The PTSD was locked away in a box and chained up for the competition. If it wasn’t for Help for Heroes, I would have completely missed this opportunity to learn something new, have fun and meet new people, while actually believing in myself that winning was possible which, indeed, proved to be true."