Ref. 30859-38HOT on the heels of the reality TV show Hell's Kitchen, budding chefs battled it out for gastronomic glory in Swindon.

Hundreds of junior and secondary school pupils entered the Nationwide Young Cook of the Year Competition and the winners were announced yesterday after an intense afternoon of cooking at Swindon College, in North Star.

Sammie Sycamore, 10, of Shaw Ridge Primary School, and Lauren Durrant, 10, of Liden Primary School, both clinched first place in the junior category.

Sammie said: "I made supreme chicken pasta with a salad and garlic bread.

"I'm more in control in the kitchen than Gordon Ramsay is on Hell's Kitchen. It's really not that stressful."

Alex Baldwin, 10, of Oliver Tomkins Junior School, came second with his spinach ricotta dish.

He said: "I really enjoyed it. I'm a nicer chef than Gordon. He is so bossy and swears too much."

The competition, sponsored by Nationwide Building Society, based in Pipers Way, has been running for seven years.

The winners each received trophies, cookery books, vouchers and money for their school.

Alexandra Bampton, 14, of Kingsdown School, and Rachel McAuley, 13, were triumphant in the senior category.

Rachel said: "I love cooking and this contest was great fun.

"I enjoyed watching Hell's Kitchen but didn't approve of the language."

Swindon's outgoing mayor Derek Benfield was on the judging panel.

He said: "There wasn't a single dish I wouldn't take home with me for dinner. They were all absolutely divine."

Victoria Tagg