A TOP chef's dish has won a competition to tickle the taste buds of First Class rail passengers next year.

Those travelling in style on East Coast trains will be able to taste 31-year-old Ross Hallewell's mouth-watering fillet of seabass with sweet and sour stir-fried vegetables and buttered new potatoes, and a chocolate torte topped with a rich chocolate ganache, served with fresh strawberries for dessert.

The Leeds chef won the East Coast Chef of the Year competition after a cook-off against others based in London, Newcastle and Edinburgh at York's Manor Church of England Academy.

The chefs had less than two hours to produce their two-course meals and were judged by students from the school and East Coast’s commercial and customer service director Peter Williams and rail gourmet product manager David Small.

Mr Hallewell said: "I’m absolutely stunned. I had so much support from friends and colleagues in Leeds and never expected to win.

"It’s an incredible feeling to think that thousands of customers will be able to sample my dishes."