THE head chef of a Saffron Walden school beat off international competition to win a major cooking award. Competing at Hotelympia in Salon Culinaire, a world-class culinary competition for chefs, Friends School s Bobby Nanda brought home two medals.

THE head chef of a Saffron Walden school beat off international competition to win a major cooking award.

Competing at Hotelympia in Salon Culinaire, a world-class culinary competition for chefs, Friends' School's Bobby Nanda brought home two medals.

He won the silver medal in the British Pepper and Spice Millstone Ethnic Class.

But it was the next competition that provided the biggest surprise - Bobby was asked to stand in at the last minute, and without much preparation or planning went on to win Tilda Chef of the Year.

Bobby said: "Because no one expected me to be there I felt no pressure, I was relaxed like I was cooking at home.

"When you cook in these competitions you normally need weeks of practice and preparation. I had only overnight to think about it so I created my menu as I walked around the supermarket looking for ingredients on the morning of the competition."

Bobby's winning menu of aromatic lentil rice on a bed of kale served with rump of lamb in Sri Lankan curry sauce accompanied with grilled tomato salsa impressed the judges so much they awarded him top prize. There were 10 chefs competing, including two top chefs from five star hotels in Dubai as well as two chefs from top London restaurants.

"I felt very proud to win, especially as a school chef who was up against top restaurant chefs. To win at one of the largest internationally respected cooking competitions was a thrill.