A NORTH-EAST footballer is to design a signature dish that will be served at one of the region’s leading restaurants.

Middlesbrough striker Chris Killen, who is a keen part-time chef, will have his own dish on the menu at Chadwicks Inn, Maltby, near Middlesbrough.

Killen, a New Zealand international, who was once invited to appear on the BBC series Masterchef, has agreed to create his own speciality that he will cook in a demonstration after he has returned from the World Cup finals.

The footballing tie-up was the idea of Chadwicks Inn owner Gary Gill, who is a former Boro professional and is the matchday summariser for Boro matches on BBC Radio Tees.

Mr Gill said: “I discovered Chris was a budding chef when I spoke to him recently, and I thought this would be the perfect opportunity for him to put his words into action.

“He’ll have a completely free rein to come up with a dish of his choosing, and we’ll add it to the menu to see how it goes down.”

Killen said: “Cooking is something I’ve always been passionate about, and I can see myself running a restaurant of my own when I retire. I’m going to spend the next couple of weeks running through a few ideas, and maybe I’ll test the dish out on my teammates when I’m away in South Africa for the World Cup finals.”