A COLLEGE student has emerged victorious in an international chef competition.

Eastleigh College learner Rishiram Chaudhary has taken the top spot in his Main Course competition heat to reach the final of the Major International Chef's Culinary Challenge.

Rishiram, who studies Level 3 Advanced Professional Catering, will now be heading to the final at the Excel centre in London in March to compete in front of a live audience.

Rishiram added: “I’m so pleased to have won the regional heat, I practised a lot and it gave me the opportunity to create a dish from scratch.

"These competitions allow me to build my skills for the future but I couldn’t do this without the guidance from my amazing lecturers at Eastleigh College.

"They have always supported us as students to do our best.”

His success caps off a competitive opening heat hosted at the college's own East Avenue restaurant where students from both Eastleigh College and Highbury College took part, tasked with creating a main course from scratch in fifty minutes.

Level 2 Professional Catering learner Amy Brimfield also won the Front of House heat, and a further fifteen medals were awarded to Eastleigh College learners, including three gold, six silver and six bronze.

Major International’s annual Major Series is one of the longest running young chef competitions in the UK and gives learners of varying skill levels the chance to experience the competition arena for the first time.

Development Chef Fergus Martin was one of the four judges for the opening heat and said: “We’ve been running these competitions for twenty years and it has been great to return to Eastleigh College.

"This year we are excited to bring the final forward to within three months of the first heat and it’s been fantastic to see so many students getting involved.”