By Sue Crawford

Published at 11:26, Wednesday, 13 March 2013

A promising teenage chef is gearing up for the final of a prestigious national cooking competition.

Kieran Paterson

Kieran Paterson, 16, who works part-time at Smiths Hotel at Gretna Green will compete for the title of FutureChef of the Year in London next Tuesday (

After wowing judges in a Scottish regional final with a menu of sea bass and squid ink risotto, followed by St Clement’s tart and gin and tonic sorbet, his final dishes are under wraps.

He said: “I already know what I’ll be cooking but it’s a secret until the big day. I’m hoping my final menu will make a good impact as a lot of celebrity chefs will be there on the day,”

The 16-year-old, who is still at school, began working at the hotel washing dishes during evenings before kitchen bosses spotted his potential.

Head chef Stephen Myers said: “He’s a fantastic chef, eager to learn new techniques and has bags of confidence and flair.”

FutureChef is run by Springboard, a national charity which promotes careers in hospitality.

Celebrity chef Brian Turner will be compering the final which is being held at London’s Westminster Kingsway College.

Kieran lives in Kirkpatrick Fleming, near Lockerbie.

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