SUPER CHEFS: They may be young, but these chefs really know how to get the most of their locally-sourced ingredients – and make a nutritional meal on budget.

And they had to in order to take part in The Hunts Post’s Young Chef competition on Saturday.

The five 12-year-olds to take part in this year’s final at the Saxongate Centre in Huntingdon had done exceptionally well reach the cook-off after nearly 30 youngsters entered the competition by devising a two-course menu.

Our judge John Betham, a professional chef, had the hard task of choosing the final five and the even harder task of judging the cook off as chicken ardennaise, lamb steaks and chicken and leak pies were created in the kitchen.

And, as if that was not enough, the list of desserts included an upside down cake, summer fruits pudding, golden pancakes with chocolate orange sauce and a Victoria sponge.

All of these dishes were expertly created by Emma Day, Matthew Howes, Lucy Avory and Harry Lindsell.

But although they impressed our judge, the winner was Lowri Robinson. The Abbey College student cooked salmon yakitori for her main with a passion fruit and lemon curd roulade to follow.

“It was a very close thing between Harry and Lowri, but Lowri just edged it,” John said. “I think Lowri is a perfectionist. At one stage she was about to throw away her roulade but there wasn’t anything wrong with it at all!

“She had great attention to detail and managed to balance all of her flavours, which can be difficult when dealing with sweet and sour. She managed to get the taste right and the presentation.”

As well as being crowned The Hunts Post Young Chef of 2011, Lowri was presented with an award and collected an iPod Touch at the newspaper’s Food and Drink Awards on Monday night.