CHEF Daniel Kirkpatrick has his grandmother to thank for his ability to slice, dice, bake and saute.

And now the former Bury College student's dream of running his own restaurant could soon become a reality.

From the age of three, Daniel would watch his grandmother Glenis Pike in the kitchen, and his mother Mrs Carol Kay is convinced it helped him develop a passion for food.

Now 20-year-old Daniel, of Brandlesholme Road, is looking for premises to open his own restaurant, and is also celebrating after finishing as runner-up in the North West Young Chef of the Year competition.

Daniel created his own menu on a budget of just £15, to promote local produce. In the kitchen with the other six finalists, Daniel cooked his three-course meal, including Bury's finest fayre, black pudding.

As a starter, he prepared roast parsnip and garlic soup, followed by Preston duck stuffed with black pudding and as a dessert, bread and butter pudding with fresh raspberries and vodka.

Carol said: "While he was cooking I was amazed at what Daniel was doing. I kept thinking: How does he know how to do that?"

Daniel was pipped to the post for first place by just one point. But he wasn't too disheartened, and his mum agreed he had done well to get where he did. Daniel's chef whites were sponsored by the Bury Black Pudding Company.