YOUNG culinary talent across West Somerset now has extra time to enter the Exmoor Young Chef Competition 2025, with the closing date extended to August 1.

The Exmoor Young Chef contest is returning in October for its fourth year, offering 12 to 17 year olds an opportunity to showcase their talents, impress professional chefs, and take their first step toward a future in food.

Finalists will receive professional mentoring from top local chefs and the chance to cook in a live final at West Somerset College this October. Previous finalists have gone on to win national awards and secure work experience with leading industry professionals.

To enter, students simply need to submit their own original two-course menu using local, seasonal produce.

Visit Exmoor’s Max Lawrence said: “Whether it is Exmoor lamb, local venison, coastal seafood, or homegrown produce, this is the chance to put the region’s flavour on the plate and get your name on the map.

“Exmoor’s food and drink is second to none, and it is young people who will carry that story forward.

“These competitions are not just about cooking, they are about unlocking potential, gaining confidence, and recognising that a career in hospitality and the visitor economy can be exciting, creative, and full of opportunity.”

And new for 2025 is an Exmoor Aspiring Chef competition which will spotlight 18 to 24 year olds already working in kitchens, giving early-stage career chefs an opportunity to be seen and celebrated.

Both competitions are being run by Visit Exmoor and ask entrants to plan and prepare a three-course meal for two people, costing less than £25 and showcasing at least two locally sourced ingredients from Greater Exmoor artisan producers.

Applications close for Exmoor Young Chef on August 1, and September 1 for Exmoor Aspiring Chef, and full details can be found on Visit Exmoor’s website.