A WOMAN from Denbighshire has secured a place in the live Regional Heats of the Welsh School Chef of the Year 2019.

Jane Jones, who works at Ysgol Twm o'r Nant in Denbigh, will be competing in the Welsh final which takes place at Weston College, Weston-super-Mare on Wednesday afternoon.

The Lead Association for Catering in Education (LACA) School Chef of the Year Competition has been the flagship event for school chefs to showcase their professional skills for more than twenty years.

Against the clock and under the scrutiny of a panel of judges, Jane will have to prepare four portions of a main course and a dessert suitable for 11 year olds at school.

They will have 90 minutes and a maximum spend of £1.30 is allowed for the cost of a single meal (i.e. one main course and dessert).

Speaking ahead of the heats on Wednesday, Jane said: "I'm really looking forward to representing Denbighshire and Ysgol Twm o'r Nant in the Welsh regional finals, even though I am a little nervous.

"I am hoping that my two course school lunch impresses the judges and gets me into the National Final."

The line up of dishes on this year’s contestants’ menus is not only impressive but also demonstrates the exceptional culinary expertise of today’s school chefs. Ingredients, flavours and adventurous themes have been drawn from exotic locations right across the globe.

The Welsh main course dishes are Chilli Dragon’s Nest – Chilli served on a flatbread dragon with traffic light rice and a tomato & onion salsa and Marvellous Meatballs, Groovy Veg & Yummy Yoghurt Dip – Lamb meatballs served in a tortilla bouche, veg kebabs, rosemary potatoes & yoghurt dip.

Desserts are equally as mouth watering - Teisen Gri – Welsh cake served with strawberries and a strawberry coulis and Fantastically Fruity Shortbread and Luscious Lavender Cream – Fruit topped shortbread served with a quenelle of lavender cream.

The overall winner from this regional heat will go on to represent Wales against nine other Regional Champions, in the National Final held on March 7.

The reigning LACA School Chef of Year 2018 is Michael Goulston from Stevenage, Hertfordshire.