Teenage chef James Baker from Aldbourne, near Marlborough, has cooked his way to gold and silver medals in two top culinary competitions.

James, 17, works for defence catering company ESS Support Services Worldwide, part of Compass Group, at the Joint Services Command and Staff College (JSCSC), Shrivenham.

The teenager achieved a silver medal and best in class placing in the Junior Lamb Dish category of the Combined Services Culinary Challenge, the leading catering competition for chefs working across the Armed Forces.

At the Combined Services Culinary Challenge event, James cooked loin of lamb with herb and breadcrumb crust served with a parsnip and celeriac mash with baby carrots and asparagus.

He followed up his success with a gold medal in the Junior Restaurant Plates category at the Major International Mini Series competition.

James impressed the judges with his menu of veal with a pepper and wild mushroom stuffing wrapped in pancetta with baby carrots, a melange of vegetables, and Anna potatoes (potatoes thinly sliced and layered and cooked in butter).

James was also a finalist in the Compass Group Junior Chef of the Year competition in October.

James, a former pupil at St John's School, Marlborough, got his taste for catering with weekend jobs in the kitchen at the John O' Gaunt Inn, Hungerford, and at the Shepherd's Rest, Foxhill. He said: "I'd like to have my own restaurant but that's a long way in the future."