TWO York hospitality students have been named joint winners of the Young Chef of the Year competition at York’s Food Festival 2016.

Dan Stokes, 18, who is a Level 3 Professional Cookery student at York College and works at Skosh restaurant, and Zach Abbott, 17, a Level 2 Professional Cookery student, who works at MrP’s Curious Tavern, shared the title.

They produced their winning dishes in front of a packed audience in the demonstration tent in Sampson Square. Among the judges were Graham Fyfe, hospitality tutor at York College, who said: “In terms of the calibre of the candidates, there was nothing to split Dan and Zach – they both deserved to win.”

Runner-up was Luke Sanderson, 21. who is employed at The Grand Hotel in York.