NEWLYNS Farm Shop and Cookery School has launched their first ever cookery competition open to all chefs over the age of eighteen living in Hampshire.

Newlyns Cookery School near Hook will be hosting The Newlyns Hampshire Amateur Chef 2012 during July’s Hampshire Food Festival to find the best amateur chef in the county. The competition is open to any amateur chef who is keen on cooking with a focus on using Hampshire produce as part of the ingredients.

The first round of the competition will be to design and create a menu for a starter and main course meal or main course and pudding using two or more Hampshire ingredients in each course.

This stage is part of the application process and the lucky four finalists will be asked to come to the Newlyns Cookery School in North Warnborough for the live ‘cook-off’ final round.

At the final on Saturday 7th July, finalists will be asked to prepare two dishes live at the Newlyns Cookery School in front of a panel of judges in a set time.

They will also do a skills test in 15 minutes and an ingredients test before completing their two dishes.

The Newlyns Hampshire Amateur Chef 2012 will be judged on the following aspects; creating two recipes for a two course meal using two or more Hampshire ingredients in each course and showing knowledge of local ingredients used in each recipe and kitchen skill, flavour creativity and presentation.

The judging panel will includes Hannah Westcott, head teacher at Newlyns Cookery School, Elizabeth Garnett , Cyrille Pannier (executive chef at the Four Seasons Hotel, Dogmersfield) and Mehernosh Mody (executive chef, La Porte des Indes, London).

The winner of The Newlyns Hampshire Amateur Chef 2012 will win a one night stay for two people at the Four Seasons Hotel, Dogmersfield, and a Kenwood kMix Stand Mixer. The three runners up will each receive a Newlyns gift hamper worth £100.

Deadline for applications is June 1, 2012 and short listed chefs will be notified by June 20, 2012.

For full details of all prizes, competition sponsors, competition terms and conditions, and to download the application form and terms & conditions visit newlyns- farmshop.co.uk.

Newlyns is a member of county food group Hampshire Fare, and is also hosting a free Festival of Food on Saturday, July 7, (10am-3pm) as part of the Hampshire Food Festival. Ideal for families, visitors can get hands-on in the kitchen, watch butchery demos, make and BBQ burgers, join children’s cookery activities and tractor trailer tours around the farm.