A PLASTERER and a housewife from St Neots have been winning plaudits – and cash – in a BBC television show which allows contestants to run a restaurant. Jason Goodwin, 38, and Kelly Jeffs, 24, proved they could cut it in the kitchen by winning last week s

A PLASTERER and a housewife from St Neots have been winning plaudits - and cash - in a BBC television show which allows contestants to run a restaurant.

Jason Goodwin, 38, and Kelly Jeffs, 24, proved they could cut it in the kitchen by winning last week's Recipe for Success show on BBC2.

The couple, who live in Eaton Socon, faced competition from five other couples, but in the end it was Mr Goodwin's culinary skills and Ms Jeffs level-head which won the day and pocketed them the restaurant's takings, £2,615.

Presented by television chef Simon Rimmer, the show allowed the couples to take turns in running a Birmingham restaurant for a day.

They each had to produce a three-course lunch and a three-course dinner for 20 diners.

After eating, customers could decide how much to pay for the meal - from nothing to £25.

And the couple to make the most money was Mr Goodwin, who was head chef, and his partner Ms Jeffs, who acted as the front of house manager.

The pair won the show, which was filmed in May when Ms Jeffs was five months pregnant, by just £25, collecting £680 from customers.

"It was hard work but good fun," said Ms Jeffs. "Jason absolutely loved his time in the kitchen and I enjoyed my time on the front of house."

The couple at their home in Viceroy Close were filmed by the BBC and the crew followed Ms Jeffs around St Neots Famers Market and recorded Mr Goodwin cooking his signature dish, curry.

Mr Goodwin told The Hunts Post: "I love making curries and combining different spices to make an infusion of flavour. I cook most evenings when I get home from work. I think it is a case of being creative with food."

For the show he made a chicken Korma and a lamb Rogan Josh. He also served up two starters, which were deep fried crispy seabass and chicken Kofta kebab and two desserts, ginger, lime and cherry cheesecake and coconut ice cream.

All the dishes were made from his own recipes.

The shows judges said the food "went down really well" and one diner described Mr Goodwin's homemade coconut ice cream as "excellent."

Mr Goodwin added: "You are totally oblivious to the cameras because it's so busy in the kitchen and you just get on with it. Everyone was under a lot of pressure and one contestant even stormed out of the kitchen because it all got too much for him. It was really intense."

The couple planned to spend their prize money on a camping holiday in Wales.

INFORMATION: Recipe for Success is shown on BBC2 on weeknights at 5.15pm.

- Jason's Chicken Korma (serves four)

Cooking time approx 40mins

Four fresh chicken fillets

1 tsp of ground cumin

1 tsp of ground coriander

1 tsp of turmeric

1 tsp of garam masala

1 tsp of cumin seeds

1 cinnamon stick

6 cardamoms

50g of crushed almonds

Salt

3 tbsp of ghee

1 inch cube of ginger

1 large onion

3 garlic cloves

2 large leeks

2 parsnips

1 tin coconut milk

1 sachet of creamed coconut

1 small cup of single cream

1 lemon

2 handfuls of fresh coriander

1 and half pints of chicken stock

Method

Fry the chopped onion, garlic and ginger with the ghee until soft. Boil the leek and parsnips. Remove onions from pan and while the oil is still hot, add the spices. Fry on a medium to low heat for three to five minutes. Add the meat and fry for a further five minutes. Add the stock and blend the parsnips and leek to a paste. Add the coconut milk and creamed coconut sachet, followed by the parsnip and leek paste. Cook until the meat juices run clear. Add half the juice of a lemon and add the crushed almonds towards the end of cooking. Take off the heat and add garam masala and fresh coriander. Serve with rice and bread.