A LEADING chef swapped his kitchen for the great outdoors to run the barbecue for a children’s charity event.

Kenny Atkinson, who stood down as director of food at Rockliffe Hall, in Hurworth, near Darlington, in April, stepped in to cook sausages and burgers at an event hosted by martial arts academy Evolution, in Darlington, where his son trains.

The club marked its tenth anniversary with a garden party at its base in McMullen Road, with proceeds from the barbecue going to charity.

A guest at the event said Mr Atkinson cooked typical barbecue grub for the event, spending almost two hours at the grill to make sure everyone was fed.