Gearing up for The Swan's Cygnet Award

The cook-off, which is taking place at the Cornwallis Academy in Linton, Maidstone, will see finalists for the 7-8 year groups, which are Jordon Marsh, from Longfield School, George Norris from Ashford School and Michael Prater from Chaucer Technology School, devise and cook a healthy starter, main or dessert using seasonal and regional ingredients. Finalists in the older live cook off are Trevor Button from Longfield Academy, Toby Harris from Ashford School, and Ashleigh Howling from Mascalls School. The six finalists will have two hours to produce their creations in front of judges who will be headed up by The Swan's head chef Scott Goss. The panel will be looking for the use of seasonal/local ingredients, healthy ideas, originality and practicality. The best two dishes (in year groups 7-8 and 9-11) will both be presented with a Cygnet Award certificate after the live cook off, as well as a £200 voucher to dine at The Swan. In addition to the winning recipes being featured on the menu at The Swan in West Malling, and the two winners spending a day in the kitchen with head chef Scott Gross, The Award has also won the support of the KM Group, and the winners and their recipes will feature in newspapers, online and on air across Kent. Commenting on The Cygnet Award, Ruth Pell, head of food technology, at Longfield Academy, in Longfield explained. She said: "The kids have absolutely loved The Cygnet Award from The Swan and I've even been running extra lunchtime cookery clubs. With all the wonderful prizes to be won, I think the most exciting thing is to experience what it is to have a day in a proper professional kitchen at The Swan – it will look great on children's CVs. I think The Cygnet Award is an amazing idea for school children in Kent." Head chef at The Swan added: "I have been so impressed with the kids ideas and there a numerous recipes that I would happily include on the menu at The Swan. I have genuinely been bowled over by the high level of creativity and how young people have embraced the use of seasonal and regional ingredients with some wonderfully healthy and tasty recipe ideas. It was a tough job whittling it down to the final six and I think it's going to be an even tougher job to pick the final two. It has been such a thrill for The Swan to be at the forefront of this region-wide recipe creation and cookery initiative."