Dirk Budka of the Fair Green Restaurant, in Ballymore, and Midlands Radio 3 have hit upon the bright idea of organising a "Under-15 Midlands Chef of the Year" competition, an encouragement, says Mr Budka, to wean kids away from the ubiquitous burgers 'n' chips offering they expect when they go to restaurants, and a chance for them to show what they can do in the kitchen.
To enter, girls and boys not older than 14 should send in their favourite main course recipes in detail, and next February the six best recipes will be asked to prove their skills by cooking the dish in a restaurant for a jury. Prizes are excellent, with the winner scooping a Ryan Air Gourmet Weekend in Paris, when they can be accompanied by two people. Those who wish to participate should send their detailed main course dish to The Fair Green restaurant, Ballymore, Co Westmeath, remembering to include their date of birth. The deadline for entries is January 20th.
Any queries to (044) 56559.