A talented group of chefs from 1st Charmouth Scouts are preparing to represent Dorset in a regional competition.

Lucy and Annabel Mackenney, Minnie Harvey and Annabelle Roberts won the district heat and scooped second place in the county heat of a UK-wide Scouts cooking contest. This means they will go forward to the regional semi-final.

The girls had to design, plan and prepare a three-course meal for four people using just two gas rings and within a two hour time limit.

As the theme for the competition was Celebrations, the girls drew inspiration from the travels of two Scout Group members to devise the menu. Nepalese momos (steamed dumplings) to start, Christmas Dinner Kebabs for the main and Key Lime Pie with Italian meringue for dessert (one of the Group’s Explorer Scouts is off to the World Scout Jamboree in the USA).

The food has to be well presented with marks scored for team work, food hygiene, keeping within a budget of £18, table decorations, presentation and even washing up. The girls are heading to Gloucester at the end of April to fly the flag for 1st Charmouth.

Prior to competing in the county event the team called in renowned chef Ian Simpson, who runs the White House Hotel in Charmouth, for his advice.

Scout leaders said Ian was so impressed with the standard of all three courses that he ate a large sample of all of them!