A JUNIOR sous chef at a prestigious hotel in the Ribble Valley is one step away from being the best in the country.

Danny Young, 21, Grove Street, from Accrington, was crowned Lancashire Young Chef of the Year in May last year then won the North West accolade last June.

This week he went one better and won the national semi final held in Sheffield with a meal that owes a lot to his home county.

He served up Goosnargh wheat-fed guinea fowl, leg meat tumbleweed, Formby asparagus, summer pods with buttermilk sauce followed by sticky toffee pudding with salted Simpsons of Blackburn's milk ice cream and textures of walnut.

Danny will now go through to the National Chef of the Year final which takes place at The Restaurant Show on Tuesday, October 6, in London.

He said: "Next stop London!! Thanks for all the support people have given me, only half way yet though bring on October."

The competition is one of the UK's most respected titles, helping to launch the careers of past winners Gordon Ramsay, David Everitt-Matthias, Lou Jones, Bruce Sangster, Simon Hulstone, Alyn Williams, Hayden Groves and Russell Bateman.

This year the Craft Guild of Chefs has launched a mentoring scheme, linking the competitors with a top British chef, including previous winners of the title.

These mentors will also be involved in the finalist’s Mentor Day in Leatherhead on Monday, September 7.

Steve Munkley, vice president of the Craft Guild of Chefs and chairman of judges, said: “The calibre of young chefs coming through this competition never fails to impress me.”

Mark Sargeant, Young National Chef of the Year ambassador, added: “Each year the standards get higher and I'm really looking forward to seeing what talent this year’s competition brings.”

Danny's previous winning dishes also paid homage to Lancashire's finest produce - his menu for the regional title was Formby asparagus, poached Bowland Forest free-range egg and hollandaise for the starter; wheat-fed Goosnargh guinea fowl leg Kiev, scorched baby gem, summer pods and parsley shoots for the main course; and Hesketh Bank strawberries, Simpson’s organic cream and Northcote's garden mint for dessert.

For the county title he offered a starter of caramelised Goosnargh duck, with beets salad and black bee honey dressing; a main course of new season lamb, butter puff pastry, with asparagus and a ‘sweet and sour’ turnip puree; and a dessert of rhubarb trifle with a walnut doughnut.