Time's running out for wannabe young chefs to enter the county’s official school cookery contest.

KM Kent Cooks is inviting youngsters aged five to 18 years to enter before tomorrow's deadline (November 4) when they have until midnight to submit their recipes online.

2013 Kent Cooks finalist Amelia Murton, 15, from Castle Community College is one of a number of youngsters taking up the culinary challenge.

Her beef dish named Canterbury Cobbles followed by shortbread stars secured her place in last year’s competition final and she’s hoping to go even further this year.

Recently she prepared her new dish for the 2014 competition for Blaze Robson, 14, and other home economics classmates at the college.

To enter the contest, young cooks must submit photographs of their signature dishes along with descriptions of cooking method to the Kent Cooks website.

Recipes will be judged based on their creativity, presentation, and the student’s awareness of healthy living and locally sourced ingredients.

Organiser Julia Williamson from Kent Cooks said: “The aim is to develop the confidence and abilities of young people to prepare meals to a fixed budget, as well as to increase awareness of healthy options and Kentish produce.”

Categories include primary school, secondary school and families for adult-and-child entries. There will be cash prizes and goody bags to the category winners with the overall KM Kent Cooks champion receiving £200.

Finalists will be invited to attend the live cook-off on November 27 when the winners will be announced.

Kent Cooks is supported by Countrystyle Recycling, Mini Babybel, Three R’s Teacher Recruitment, DFDS Seaways, Southern Water, Kent Cookery School, Golding Homes, Orbit South, Brakes, Carefree Communications, VooServers and Licensing Consultancy Services.

For full entry details, visit www.kentcooks.co.uk.