Anna Lark and Grace Dougal found success in a Toot Hill School cooking contest

Toot Hill School, Bingham, hosted the local heat of the Rotary Young Chef competition.

The event, similar to the popular Bake Off television programme, was sponsored by The Rotary Club of Grantham and The Grantham Sunrise Rotary Club.

The students had to prepare a two-course meal in two hours and were judged on strict criteria including range of skills used, the neatness of the working area and hygiene, planning, and the presentation and taste of the two dishes.

The two winners were Anna Lark and Grace Dougal.

Anna cooked chicken wrapped in bacon with a mushroom sauce, and a strawberry rose meringue for dessert.

Grace cooked salmon with pesto for her main course, followed by a chocolate brownie topped with whipped cream and handmade raspberry and blackberry pearls.

The competition was judged by members of the rotary club, led by Roger Blakeman, a former hotelier with vast experience in the hospitality and catering industry.

Mr Blakeman and the team were highly impressed with the quality of the dishes and the creativity demonstrated by Anna and Grace.

The two winners were presented with a certificate by Rotary Club of Grantham president, Mr Ray Kingels, who commented on their hard work.

Lauren White, co-director of technology at Toot Hill School, who said: “I have been impressed with the level of maturity shown by the girls in their dish choices and the way they conducted themselves under pressure.

Anna and Grace will go forward to the district finals, which will take place later this month.