YOUNG chef, Julian Elkjaer, 22, is cooking up a feast as he is through to the semi-finals of Britain's Best Young Chef.

Julian, who is a chef at Whatley Manor, Malmesbury, is in the competition run by The Roux Scholarship, which has been running for more than 30 years.

He said: "This is an amazing opportunity and I am really looking forward to it. I'll be up against the best and this will really push me to want to achieve the best that I can.

"I entered two competitions when I lived in Denmark and came third, this time I'm hoping to go all the way."

He added: "I'm classically trained and have worked at Kong Hans Kaelder in Copenhagen. At some point in my life, Denmark is a country I would like to return to. I do have ambitions to travel and one day, hopefully, owning my own restaurant."

For the semi-final on Thursday taking place simultaneously, at University College Birmingham and University of West London, Ealing, there will be 18 chefs, with only six going through to the final in London.

Julian added: "What's going to be crucial, is timing. Making sure that everything is ready to be served when it needs to be."

Judges include: Michel Roux Junior and James Martin among many other Michelin-starred chefs.