Teenage chef's recipe for success

Thomas Souter beat 4,000 other contestants to win the title

A young chef from North Yorkshire has proved he has a recipe for success by winning a national competition and beating 4,000 other contestants.

Ryedale School pupil Thomas Souter won the Rotary Young Chef of the Year award in London by cooking a three-course meal for two with a budget of £14.

The 16-year-old, who lives in Helmsley, North Yorkshire, had to see off challenges from seven other finalists.

Thomas has a weekend job in the kitchens at the Star Inn pub at Harome.

He also did work experience at the Black Swan hotel in his home town.

The finals were held at the Westminster Kingsway College in London - where celebrity chef Jamie Oliver was a student.

Creator of the Young Chef competition Linda May said: "The competition could be a stepping stone to a career in the food industry.

"The interest among students in cooking is tremendous and rising, they are really fired up by the TV chefs."