CATERING students tested their culinary skills to impress judges in a national competition.

Hartlepool College of Further Education hosted the Northern heats of the Major Chefs Series event, which sees students set a challenge of live and static displays as well as a hot culinary task and a restaurant skills class.

Two Hartlepool students will represent the region at the national finals of Hotelympia 2017 in Birmingham against students from the other heats across the UK.

Kevin Dove, catering lecturer at the college, said: “There’s a lot of pressure when you have to perform for judges, especially the calibre of judge from the Guild of Chefs who are all looking for different things, but everyone who took part did really well and the experience they have picked up will stand them in good stead moving forward.

“Many of the students only joined us in September, so to be at the level they are now is a fantastic achievement.”

Wayne Harris, was is from the Guild of Chefs and was part of the judging panel, said: “The overall standard was very good, and there some extremely talented students at the College. We gave feedback afterwards to try to point them all in the right direction.

“The important message is not to rest on your laurels. If you did well in this competition, it doesn’t mean you have cracked it. There is a long way to go to carve out a career, but this is an excellent platform."

Former English Martyrs student and Hotelympia 2016 Finalist Amy Pattison, 17, was crowned as Best in Class overall and won gold in the live national competition class followed by further awards in the street food and bakery classes and will go on to represent Hartlepool College at the National Finals alongside fellow student Eljohn Latyan, another ex-Martyrs pupil, who also won gold.