91Èȱ¬

A teenager who won a cookery competition in which she was both the youngest and only female entrant has secured a job with a Michelin-starred chef.

Abigail Smith won the North East Young Chef of the Year title despite her equipment breaking during the competition.

She will now work as a chef de partie at Rockliffe Hall, near Darlington, with James Close, the former chef patron of two Michelin star Raby Hunt.

The 18-year-old said of her win: "It was a little bit intimidating. I was up against older chefs."

The New College Durham student said: "Everything went fairly smoothly during the morning competition.

"The only issues were my equipment, which kept breaking on me, but somehow, I got on with it.

"When the result was announced I did get a bit emotional – relief as much as anything."

As a result of her win at at North East Culinary and Trade Awards (NECTA), she will now go on to compete in the semi-final of the national heat of Young Chef of the Year, organised by the Craft Guild of Chefs.

Hairy Bikers star Si King, one of the judges who awarded Miss Smith the prize, said: "Abigail shone out above the competition, with her confidence, understanding of the task and her expertise in food preparation and cooking.

"We’ve got it all in the North East and I’m very proud of that. We've just got to let the rest of the country know."

Miss Smith said she was delighted to land the job with Mr Close at his summer residency at Rockliffe Hall's Terra, which opened this week.

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