A YOUNG chef has come up with a lip-smacking menu to tempt the tastebuds of judges in a top competition to find the North West kitchen king.

Paul Walker, 23, chef at the award-winning Northcote Manor, Langho, is to battle it out with other culinary hopefuls in the North West Young Chef of the Year competition in Manchester on Tuesday.

The chef, who will represent Lancashire at the event, has drawn up an impressive competition menu that includes wild Lytham sea bass, Westmorland ham, Bowland lamb and home-made Eccles cake with Lancashire cheese ice-cream.

He beat off hundreds of culinary hopefuls from across the county to reach the finals and will battle it out for the prestigious title with top young chefs from Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Cheshire and Cumbria.

Paul, from Preston, said: "I am really excited about making it to the finals. It will be a tough competition, but I am determined to do my best. My boss, Nigel Haworth, has been an inspiration to me and I really want to make him proud."

Judges include Masterchef Brian Mellor, Robert Kisby of Manchester's Le Mont restaurant and John Patterson of the famous La Palombara restaurant in Italy.

The competition, organised by North West Fine Foods, aims to to support young culinary talent in the region and highlight the wealth of local produce.

The winner of the finals, to be held at the Park View Rooms a Manchester Metropolitan University, will receive £1,000 worth of prizes, including a work placement at La Palombara.

The Michelin-starred Northcote Manor was established in 1983 by Nigel Haworth and wine connoisseur Craig Bancroft.