Young chefs from schools across north London were put through their paces to decide the finalists for a cooking competition.

The semi-finals for the Rotary Young Chef Competition 2014-2015 took place at Barnet and Southgate College, in High Street, Southgate, to determine who will enter from schools in north and north west London.

The competitors were asked to prepare a two-course meal, for two people, on a budget of £10.

Pupils from Nower Hill High School, in Pinner, Christ’s College Finchley, The Compton School, in Finchley, and Totteridge Academy went head to head in the north west category, while East Barnet School and St. Anne’s Catholic High School, in Palmers Green, competed in the north category.

The Mayor of Barnet, Councillor Hugh Rayner, the Deputy Mayor and Mayoress of Harrow, Councillor Khrishna Suresh and Councillor Sasikala Suresh, presented the prizes at the event last week, along with Rotary’s District Governor for London, Rtn. David Palmer.

Angelo Christodoulou, from Christ’s College Finchley, won the north west London category, with Cypriot chicken with spinach rice and asparagus, followed by a blackberry cheesecake.

Norhan Abdelaziz, from East Barnet School, won the north London category, with her dish of chicken in a white sauce with handmade gnocchi, courgettes and spring onions, followed by a chocolate orange cheesecake.

The winners will go on to compete in the London wide district finals this Saturday at Redbridge College.