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The Cygnet Award, the competition to find the the best young chefs in the county, reached a thrilling conclusion when six young finalists went head-to-head in a live cook-off.

George Norris, from Ashford School, lifted the award in the younger category (year groups 7 and 8) with his delicious baked apples and damson jam. George just edged ahead of fellow finalists Jordan Marsh with his Kent pear crumble cheesecake and Michael Prater with his autumn blackberry shortcake with mascarpone.

The only girl in the final - Ashleigh Howling of Mascalls School, Paddock Wood - won in the older age group (year groups 9 -11) with her original Kentish cobnut, lentil and mushroom parcels served with beetroot.

Ashleigh just moved ahead of the two other finalists - Trevor Button with his vegetarian cottage pie with Kent parsnip and Kent apple mash and Toby Harris from Ashford School with his rarity plum and apple cobbler.

The Cygnet Award was launched by The Swan in West Malling, and supported by the KM Group.

The two winners’ recipes will now go on to feature on the menu at the Michelin-listed brasserie.

Learn how to create the winning recipes

~ Baked apples and damson jam (George Norris's dish) >>>

~ Kentish cobnut, lentil and mushroom parcels served with beetroot (Ashleigh Howling's dish) >>>

The Swan has also promised to donate a pound from each Cygnet dish sold to help further the work of the two food technology departments at Ashford School and Mascalls School.

George and Ashleigh will also get to spend a day in the kitchen at The Swan with award-winning head chef, Scott Goss and dine in the brasserie with friends and family to the tune of £200 each.

All the competitors walked away with certificates and bottles of champagne and the runner ups were presented with £40 vouchers each to dine at The Swan.

"The standard was incredibly high throughout this competition and the Cygnet Award has proved that original, healthy recipe creation, using seasonal and regional produce, is alive and kicking in this county," said Scott.

"With 164 young people entering The Cygnet Award from 29 different schools, every single finalist in the Live Cook Off is a winner as far as the judges are concerned. They all showed tremendous skill and creativity and every one was delicious!"

• The nail-biting final was captured live on kmfm, with breakfast DJ Neil Faraday, and you can watch some of it in the video above.

George said: "I am so happy, this means such a lot to me and I can’t wait to have a day in the kitchen at The Swan with a proper chef. The Cygnet Award has been such an amazing experience and it might take my life in a new direction."

Kelly Norris, George’s mum, added: "I can’t tell you how proud I am today. His win is brilliant, just fantastic and the best news. George has absolutely loved this whole experience, it’s been a really big competition with the radio and cameras here."

The winner in the older group, Ashleigh said: "I am very happy and it’s a big surprise. Who knows, it might be the start of something!"

As a pupil at Mascalls School in Paddock Wood, Ashleigh Howling is following in the footsteps of former pupils the Tanner brothers who are now successful celebrity chefs.

As Lucy Gasson, the food technology teacher, said: "We are so proud of Ashleigh and this is a great personal achievement for her. The Cygnet Award is such a worthwhile competition."

Next year’s competition will be launched in September 2009, with the full media backing of the KM Group.