COOKING a three-course meal in two hours would faze many an older person, but 15 years old Mikey Sanders from Crediton did just that, beating competition from other schools to become the young chef to represent the South West next month.

Mikey, who lives in Crediton and is in Year 10 at Queen Elizabeth's Community College, said that about 3,000 young people took part at the start of the competition to find the best young chef.

The first heats are run jointly by the Rotary Club of Crediton and Springboard UK, which promotes careers in hospitality.

It has now split into its two separate parts. The Westcountry Regional final for Springboard was in early February. The Rotary Young Chef regional final will be at the end of March at South Devon College, Paignton.

Food technology tutor at QECC, Sue Vanden, said that the college chose four students from 100 for the first heat. "We have taken part in the competition for the past six years, but this is the first time we have had such a successful student," she said.

Mikey often cooks at home, at first to help his mother, Pauline, when his father, John, became ill. He now hopes it will become his career.

His potential was noticed by Matt Durrant, head lecturer at Exeter College. Matt trained with Michael Caines and became a mentor for Mikey to help him improve his skills.

This meant Mikey going on to Exeter College every day after QECC. "Usually I spent about two and a half hours there, one day it was longer. I didn't finish until 10pm on a day that began at 9am at QE, ended there at 4pm, straight into Exeter College. It killed me!" he commented.

His winning menu was goats cheese mousse with beetroot and a gingerbread crisp and pickle starter, pan fried duck on a bed of creamed cabbage with butternut squash potatoes, followed by a winter berry Italian meringue crumble.

"I cooked about 23 ducks during the days before the competition, getting the timing right was really hard," said Mikey.

He is the youngest of John and Pauline's three children, plays rugby for Crediton RFC and used to play for the college.

Mikey's brief for the Rotary regional final is to create a three-course meal for two people for £14. He is glad that he will continue to work under Matt twice a week up to that competition.

At a college assembly Mikey received the large Rotary Club Young Chef shield. He and the other three QECC contestants also received their white chef's jackets - Olivia Marshall from Crediton, Imogen Shaw from Cheriton Bishop and Rob Ashman from Exeter. These were presented by Rotary Club of Crediton, president, Mrs Jill Swain, with the Rev Brian Shillingford, chairman of the club's youth committee.