THE temperature is hotting up for young chefs who are battling it out in a national Rotary Club competition.

Hoping to cook up more success in the next round of a nationwide competition is talented Adriana Dzalbe, a student at The Cotswold School, Bourton-on-the-Water.

The 16-year-old is through to the district semi-final of a Rotary Young Chef contest, which takes place at The Cotswold School in Bourton on January 11, 2014.

Adriana was among five contestants from The Cotswold School who prepared a starter, main course and a desert for two people – and they had to do it for less than £15. The young chefs were allowed half an hour to set up their table and prepare, and a further two hours to cook and serve the three courses of their choice.

Shaun Naen, head chef at Gloucestershire College in Cheltenham, who headed the five-strong team of judges, praised all the contestants for their efforts but said Adriana was “consistently very good.”

Adriana’s three courses were creamy mushrooms with grilled homemade soda bread, honey spiced lamb chops with cous cous, and lemon and lime syllabub.

If successful on January 11 she will return to her school for the district final the following month.

The district semi-final was due to be held at Kingshill School in Cirencester this week. Kingshill also has a student in this round with Roxanne Ryan hoping to impress judges and win her way through to the regional final.