SIZZLING Paul Pearson has been crowned King of York's young chefs after scooping a prestigious prize.

The 21-year-old Chef de Partie at Melton's Restaurant, in Scarcroft Road, York, won the Young Chef of the Year competition at the York Festival of Food and Drink.

His creation of roast rack of lamb with boulangere potatoes, butternut squash puree and a garlic and rosemary jus was enough to send judges into food heaven.

They were even more impressed with his dessert of raspberry souffl with a mascarpone sorbet.

Paul beat off stiff competition from a dozen other young pretenders to clinch the title.

And his reward is a work placement at Winteringham Fields, in Lincolnshire - one of the country's top restaurants.

Paul, of Eastfield Avenue, Haxby, said: "I have worked with chefs such as Raymond Blanc, but this opportunity is going to look great on my CV. I have been cooking since I was 16 and love the buzz of the kitchen. In the future I am hoping to work abroad."

Meanwhile, a trio of cooks at Huntington School are also celebrating their success in the festival's schools cookery challenge.

Rachel Garland, Charlotte Riley and Samantha Rose triumphed over Joseph Rowntree School after wowing judges with their seared tuna, oriental vegetables with lemongrass and poached pears.

Gary Littlewood, head of food and textiles at Huntington School, said: "The team worked extremely hard to devise their menus."

Updated: 11:16 Wednesday, September 26, 2001