EIGHT Blackburn College students have been taking a leaf out of the continental cookery book.

The team from the hospitality and catering department found out what makes a bon appetit when they headed over to France.

The three-week placement took in high class restaurants and hotels around the region of Dijon.

The stay was arranged in collaboration with a hotel school in Chateau Chinon on the outskirts of Beaune in the heart of the Burgundy region.

During the first week, students were introduced to fellow catering students from Germany, Italy and France, in what was regarded as European week.

Lynda Hayhurst, of Blackburn College, said: "The event was all about social skills and catering skills being developed through a series of lectures, competitions, and other teambuilding activities."

Christian Hadfield won the best pattisserie dish in a live cookout and received a trophy, and a magnum of red burgundy for his efforts.

Students were then placed in the local area to work in the kitchens and restaurants of some of the finest establishments in the region, experiencing first hand, the culture, and culinary expertise of the French.