THE pressure was on at a North-East college when some of the region’s most promising chefs went head-to-head in a cook-off challenge.

The chefs were battling against each other in the Great North Menu Challenge to win the honour of seeing their dish served at a prestigious culinary gathering; the North East Hoteliers Association (NEHA) Excellence Awards dinner at Ramside Hall, Durham, in February.

Fourteen chefs cooked their dishes at Darlington College today (October 29) and were judged by top names in the industry including Kenny Atkinson of Rockliffe Hall at Hurworth and Andrew Pern of the highly-rated Star at Harome, North Yorkshire.

The winners for each course were; Daniel Parker, junior sous chef at Wynyard Hall with his starter of Whitby lobster and compressed and pickled watermelon served with feta, olives, rocket and basil.

Steven Lawford, head chef at the Brasserie by Atkinson at Rockliffe Hall, with his main course of chicken Wellington served with Jerusalem artichokes, smoked bacon and girolle mushrooms, and Thomas Knott, head chef at Beamish Hall, with his dessert of chocolate and Earl Grey tea mousse.

The competition was organised by Michelin starred chef Kenny Atkinson, with support from the NEHA and Darlington College, to find the most promising young chefs in the region and to encourage more people to consider a career in catering.