WE’RE hardly in short supply of cooking competitions led by a rotating crop of flavour-of-the-month chefs, but the Beeb has yet another one – The Chef’s Protege.

This time round, three of our top chefs are heading back to catering college. Tom Kitchin, Theo Randall and Michel Roux Jr are on the hunt for young students, each hoping to take one under their wing, to support them in their career.

Michelin-starred Kitchin is continuing his search. At Perth College, in Scotland, he recalls his own mentor, Pierre Koffman, and his words of advice that a selected student not only needs the skills, but the ability to take on board the teaching of the mentor.

The five hopefuls are challenged to make their favourite dish before Kitchin makes suggestions on how to improve it – that they must then put in place.