A JUNIOR sous chef at Northcote Manor has beaten the cream of the country's culinary talent to scoop a top award for young professionals.

Jason Birbeck, 23, known to his colleagues as Bruno, has been named Young Chef of the Year 2001 following a nerve-wracking cook-off in London, in front of some of the catering industry's key figures.

He also won the trip of a lifetime to California and a cheque for £2,000.

Jason began with a starter he created especially for the occasion -- a light frothy cappuccino of mussels and fennel, with homemade fennel seed naan bread, followed by loin of pork with a kidney and spinach beignet, carrot and orange puree and pink gooseberry jus; and a dessert, conjured out of a suprise basket of ingredients given to him earlier in the day.

He produced a lemon parfait with a mini pear crumble, which won the judge's unanimous approval.

"It was a very clever menu - deceptively simple, but not easy to prepare under competition conditions," said John Torode,chairman of the panel.

Jason will now jet off to California as guests of Ernest and Julio Gallo to tour their vineyards and some of the best restaurants in San Fransisco and also take a trip to Champagne and the famous Louis Roderer cellars.

His success is not the first for Northcote Manor, at Northcote Lane, Langho, in the Young Chef/Young Waiter Awards, organised by the Restaurant Association and sponsored by American Express.

Two years ago Warrick Dodds, another 'find' by executive chef Nigel Haworth, won the title. Now Warrick, promoted to head chef, has trained his own protege in Jason. SIMPLY THE BEST Warwick Dodds (left) congratulates award winner Jason Birbeck