IMAGINE celebrity chef Jamie Oliver magically appearing in your kitchen to cook you up a treat.

Well, bar the jarring "mockney" tones and cloying chirpiness, this vision of couch-potato heaven could become reality in the form of Shotley Bridge chef and entrepreneur Drew Alexander.

In a novel twist on the take-out theme, the 22-year-old qualified chef will come to your house and cook up a storm before your very eyes.

While you concentrate on the sophisticated dinner party banter, he'll chop, cook, baste, and flambe his way to the perfect home-cooked meal.

And, like all well-trained house guests, he'll even do the washing up.

Drew, who started up his business with the help of Chester-le-Street and City of Durham Enterprise Agency, says his idea adds some spice to the time-honoured tradition of home entertainment.

He said: "The idea of a tea party is for the host and hostess to relax and enjoy the evening, but this never seems to happen.

"People seem to spend more time in the kitchen rather than spending time with their friends and family.

"This business is a classic twist on the theme of take-out.

"The customer can have the hassle of ordering a take-out or cooking a meal taken away from them. I will go to their homes and prepare, cook and serve them a spectacular culinary experience."

Drew's experience provides a full range of international cuisine to satisfy any world-weary taste buds, including French, Italian, Mexican, Spanish and good old- fashioned English dishes.

His all-in-one menu starts at £15-a-head, while three course menus range between £20 and £30 per person. The minimum order is £40.

He flagged up another attraction for this kind of made-to-order meal.

"There will be no more not knowing how the food has been cooked, and no more eating from plastic cartons and foil tins," he said

"All the ingredients will be freshly bought on the day of the occasion, prepared and then served, leaving the customer and their guests to enjoy the evening."

Drew, who can be contacted on (07944) 853965 or (07890) 791786, hopes to expand his fledgling business outside the North-East, as well as developing his own outside catering business.