A 13-YEAR-OLD Beaucamps High pupil has been crowned Rotary Club Young Chef of the Year.

Jacob Travers beat off competition from 11 other secondary school students to win the Mike Burbridge memorial trophy – even though he was the youngest taking part.

The Year 9 pupil (pictured) said the idea for his menu – smoked salmon terrine, balsamic chicken with spring onion mash and Caribbean pineapple dessert – came from a cookery lesson at school. ‘We had been learning how to put together a well-balanced meal,’ said Jacob.

He looks set to follow in the footsteps of his dad, who used to be a chef. ‘He has been giving me a few tips. It has been hard but it has been really good fun as well,’ he said.

The competition is now in its fourth year and head judge Stephen Scuffell said it had been the best yet.

‘If you walked in here, you wouldn’t believe the age of the people producing this food.

‘There is nothing here that you wouldn’t be happy with in a restaurant. There are chefs out there working for a living who are not as good as some of these kids,’ said the executive chef for the Moran chain of hotels in the UK.