Teenage chef wins competition with venison dish

Mr Jones, second from left, will now go on to compete nationally on 5 October

A 13-year-old is this year's South West Chef of the Year, winning with his dish of venison leg.

Kai Jones was one of the youngest competitors in the final and is a student at Merchants Academy in Bristol, organisers said.

He competed against seven other aspiring chefs, all aged between 13 and 15, in a final at Bridgwater and Taunton College, Taunton.

His dish of Venison leg cooked in hay with roast celeriac and braised red cabbage was judged to be the best of the group, meaning Mr Jones will now go forward to compete in the final against the winners of the five other county competitions on 5 October.

The chef judges judged Mr Jones' venison dish to be the best

The judges for the Somerset final were James Jones, chef lecturer at Bridgwater and Taunton College; Ben Champkin, head chef at Teals in South Cadbury and Olly Jackson, head chef at Mount Somerset Hotel in Henlade.

Mr Jackson will also be mentoring Mr Jones, as he prepares for the competition final.