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Entries opened yesterday (2 January) until 17 May, and require the young chefs to submit either a sweet or savoury recipe using one local ingredient (sourced within 30 miles of their school) and one McDougalls flour based mix.

This year’s theme is once again ‘local produce’ to “help children learn more about where their food comes from.” There is also additional emphasis on how cookery skills can help build children’s overall confidence for 2019.

Premier Foods customer controller, Mark Taylor, said: “(McDougalls Young Baking Team of the Year) has proved such an important tool for teaching children cookery skills, the importance of local ingredients and - above all - has proved a real confidence booster for them.

“We have had many teachers and parents let us know how far the children have come during the process, which we’ve noticed too, and it’s so great to see at the live final each year.”

Judges include Premier Foods executive chef Mark Rigby; Carol Harwood (LACA) and the Craft Guild of Chefs’ Andrew Green. Between them they will decide the five finalists set to compete at LACA (11 July).

This year’s winner will take home £1,000 worth of equipment for their school kitchen with the four runners to recieve £250 worth of equipment.

Nic Hastie, school chef at last year’s winner, St Martin and St Mary’s C of E Primary School, commented: “Since winning the competition, it has given both myself and the children a real confidence boost.

“It has taught the children that if you work hard, you can achieve your goals.

“When I look back to the beginning of the process, when we first started practicing for the competition and how they have come out of their shell since taking part and winning, it is incredible.

“The £1,000 prize money has been used to set up a weekly after school cookery club, paid for chef coats for the children and the equipment we need to make it a success.

“We launched this just after the October half term, opening it up to years three to six and we’ve already had over 40 sign ups. We’re really hoping it will encourage the children to start baking more at home too with their families.”

Interested schools can register at www.premierfoodservice.co.uk.