A 19-year-old chef from Sheppey has been crowned the Grana Padano Young Chef of the Year.

Craig Hammond, 19, beat more than 200 chefs to impress Michelin-starred chef Giorgio Locatelli with his pot roast pork belly dish.

The four finalists who took part all produced dishes of outstanding quality but with barely 10 points between first and fourth place it was the chef from the Shurland Hotel in Eastchurch who stole the show with his outstanding use of the Italian hard cheese in his recipe.

Each dish was judged individually and on various criteria – technique, presentation, taste and smell, use of Grana Padano and professionalism.

All four chefs proved very competent in each category making Giorgio Locatelli’s job challenging. He said: “All four of the dishes would have made the menu.

“It was a very close call and in the end it was Craig’s use of Grana Padano that clinched it for him. Credit to the other chefs as they proved to be very stiff competition.

“With Craig crowned the Young Chef of the Year at the age of 19, it is extremely reassuring to know that the future of cookery in Britain is in exceptionally capable hands.”