AN aspiring chef is celebrating winning the district semi-final of the Rotary Young Chef competition.

Amy Huggins, 15, who is in Year 10 at Pewsey Vale School, took on pupils from across the south of England at the district semi-final in Cirencester this month.

Amy, of Watson Close, Upavon, had to produce a healthy three-course meal for under £15 and she cooked up a storm with her shish kebab, chicken jalfrezi and chocolate fondant.

All seven competitors, who had won their in-school contests, had two hours to produce and present their meals to the three judges.

Amy said: “I didn’t enter expecting to win. I’m just taking it one step at a time but I loved being part of the competition. It was great fun.

“I’m quite confident going into the next round but I don’t want jinx it.”

Amy’s passion for cooking started when she was very young but she honed her talents when she joined Pewsey Vale school.

“I started cooking properly when I came to Pewsey Vale because there is a food tech room here and I’d never had anything like that before.

“I picked up the interest from my dad – he started baking a few years ago and he’s bought various cook books since then.”

With the help of her food technology teacher Brigid Sparke, Amy is now working on a new desert for the next round of the competition after being advised by the judges to carry on the Indian theme throughout the meal.

She will go on to the district final in Gloucester at the beginning of February and could progress to the national final in April.