News

Six finalists have been selected to go through to the next round of the CookIt! annual children's competition organised by the Guild of Food Writers and sponsored by Gold Top milk.

Each entrant now faces a cook-off in the kitchens of the BBC Good Food magazine on Thursday 9 June in front of a panel of guest judges which include cookery writer and columnist Diana Henry, TV chef Richard Phillips, and a member of the BBC Good Food magazine team.

The kids have been tasked with creating an "imaginative" main meal and dessert, but also have to show their technical skills in the kitchen.

Jane Suthering, president of the Guild of Food Writer, said: "It's delightful to see the interest that some young people have in cooking. And the judges are especially pleased to see that two of last year's finalists are once again joining us for the final."

The finalists include:
Emma De Salis Young (12) from Leicester, will be cooking shepherds pie tartlet with rosemary gravy, followed by lemon mousse with spun sugar.

Freya Blount (14) from Cheshire, will serve up roast chicken with fig and lemon and onion Vesuvius, followed by hot blueberry soufflé with liquorice ice cream.

Ben Quinney (13) from Hertfordshire, will be cooking pomegranate khoresh with potato-crusted rice, followed by soft chocolate swirl pots.

Elliot Bryant (12) from Surrey, will rustle up pan-fried duck breasts marinated in orange and rosemary, followed by pineapple tarte tatin with coconut cream.

Natalie Miron (13) from Reading, will be cooking chicken roulade with a mushroom duxelle filling, cumin and pine nut rice and a duo of root vegetable purées, followed by a trio of chocolate desserts.

Amelia Curtis-Deer (12) from Ipswich, will be cooking pan-fried fillet of beef with a soufflé of wild mushrooms sitting on a potato galette with scattered baby beetroot and fine asparagus, followed by crêpe with pomegranate and orange coulis.

The winner will be awarded a four-night stay at a Jersey herd working farm on the Isle of Wight for the winner and three family members.

Second prize is a cookery lesson from top chef Richard Phillips or one of his chefs at one of his four Kent venues: Thackeray's in Tunbridge Wells, Richard Phillips @ Chapel Down in Tenterden, Pearson's Arms in Whitstable or Hengist in Aylesford - plus lunch there for four.

Meanwhile the third prize will give a young cook the opportunity to cook with award-winning chef Rachel Green at one of her cookery demonstrations.