The head chef at the Royal York Hotel, in York, was awarded the certificate of merit after cooking up a feast in the British Open Cookery Championships.

Though not declared the overall winner of the chef's competition, entitled Le Salon Culinaire de Londres, Andrew Bingham received the prestigious commendation award at the Hotelympia, in Earls Court, London.

He and nine other finalists had to prepare two main course dishes for the healthy catering class final.

With only 35 minutes cooking time, 1,000 people watched Mr Bingham, from Dringhouses, cook up his culinary special, described by one of the judges as "simply delectable".

The ten finalists had to prepare a healthy dish suitable for the workplace while being marked on their hygienic skills as well.

Mr Bingham masterminded an original creation of red snapper, puy lentils, sweetcorn and mango relish with saffron couscous and winter vegetable veal infusion, describing his choice as one that would "excite and astound the most discerning tastebuds".

He said: "I used meaty fish so that it had a nice flavour with lots of protein, and couscous because it's light and interesting.

"There are healthier eating trends these days, lifestyles in general have changed dramatically and ultimately people are becoming health conscious and look at the fat content of what they eat.

"There are also a lot more healthy options available."

Karen Peploe, food and nutrition programme manager with the Health Education Authority, said: "We were delighted that the class produced such exciting healthier dishes for the workplace.

"Caterers have an important role to play in influencing people's eating habits at work.

"Dishes like Andrew's that both look good and taste good can have a big impact on people's diet."

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