YORK'S Young Chef Of The Year is going global with a traineeship in the United States.

Paul Pearson, a chef at Melton's restaurant, in Scarcroft Road, York, will spend a year in America. He is set to leave in May and will spend the first half of his traineeship in Massachusetts.

Paul, 21, of Eastfield Avenue, Haxby, has just returned from the two-Michelin star restaurant, Winteringham Fields, in Lincolnshire. He won his title and the placement at Winteringham in the live cookery competition at York's Festival of Food and Drink in September.

Michael Hjort, of Melton's restaurant, said: "He is an absolute star, a very, very talented and enthusiastic chef. It will be a considerable loss to our operation."

Before leaving for the United States, Paul, who has been cooking since he was 16, will take on the best of York's chefs in the tourism industry's Awards For Excellence competition. He is one of four nominated in the chef category.

The final of the contest will take place at York racecourse on Monday. Paul was nominated once before while in his first job in catering at the Swallow Hotel.

Paul said: "To be nominated for the awards is recognition of what I do every day. I can only hope that this will be my year."

Updated: 11:14 Friday, March 08, 2002