Time is running out for youngsters to take part in an exciting MasterChef-style cookery contest and get inspired in the kitchen.

There is just one week left for primary and secondary school students to get their entries in – the deadline is midnight on Wednesday, November 7 – and judges of the contest are calling for young people to roll their sleeves up and join in the fun.

Seth Proctor of Licensing Consultancy Services said: “If you haven’t had the opportunity to enter just yet, better do so quickly. Get your creative thinking caps on, get into the kitchen, try a couple of dishes, enter the competition – come along and have some fun.”

Young Cooks is open to entries from young people aged between six and 19 years and has three categories: Primary School, Secondary School, and Families for adult-and-child pairings.

Entrants are required to prepare one or two dishes – depending on category – and upload photographs of their meals to the Young Cooks website along with written details of their recipes.

Finalists will enjoy the thrill of a MasterChef-style event where they will prepare their menus for the judges using professional catering facilities at East Kent College.

The overall Young Cooks champion will receive the top prize of £200. Fifty pounds will go to the winning Primary School pupil and £150 will be awarded to the top Secondary School pupil. The Family category winner will take home £100.

Joining Licensing Consultancy Services on the judging panel are Whole School Meals, Macknade Fine Foods, Golding Vision (part of Golding Homes), Orbit, Three R’s Teacher Recruitment, The Dog at Wingham, Chequers Kitchen Cookery School, The Southern Co-operative, Brakes, and Kent Catering Service.

“The standard gets higher every year,” said Jim Ratchford, director of Licensing Consultancy Services. “I can only encourage even more people to get involved. It’s great to see young people learning about food, learning about nutrition, learning to cook and displaying their skills.”

For more information, including viewing previous entries, or submitting an entry, visit www.YoungCooks.org.uk before the deadline of midnight on Wednesday, November 7.