Master Chefs of Great Britain announces finalists of the Asian Junior Chef's challenge

The inaugural Asian Junior Chef's Challenge to recognise budding talent in Asian cuisine has selected three teams as finalists to go head to head at a cook-off at the Hilton London Heathrow Airport Terminal 5 in October.

The Master Chefs of Great Britain, organiser of the competition, devised by member Cyrus Todiwala OBE (pictured), has also confirmed that the winners will receive the grand prize of an expenses-paid 10-day cook-and-study tour around Poona, Delhi and Bombay in India.

The finalists have been named as Sam Jones, Theophil Dalton Maag and Nathan Gayle from Westminster Kingsway College; Manesh Komal, Neel Shah and Fern Lough from the University of West London and Samina Gul, Hassan Vinhani and Greg Situnayake from University College Birmingham.

At the final on 18 October, each team will be asked to produce a four-course pan-Asian meal to be judged by a panel of professional chefs and key industry figures. Only the main course has to be Indian.

The finalists will also be expected to make a 10-minute presentation to demonstrate the depth of their knowledge and understanding of Asian cuisine. A gala dinner at the hotel to announce the winners will follow in the evening, with tickets to be sold in support of the activities and charities of the Master Chefs of Great Britain.

"It's so encouraging to have so many students from some of the country's top hospitality and catering colleges submit such high-quality entries during the competition's inaugural year. This means that there's a real groundswell of interest and concern out there for the future of Asian cuisine among colleges and the talented young chefs whose careers they nurture."

The competition is sponsored by Carisma, Cobra Beer, Hilton London Heathrow T5, Mr Todiwala's Kitchen, Oliver Harvey, Panasonic, Radisson Blu Plaza Delhi, Ritu Wines, Schwartz and Tilda.