The three teams were selected from a field of 12 to go head-to-head in the cook-off at the Hilton London Heathrow Airport Terminal 5 on October 18.

The Master Chefs of Great Britain (MCGB), organisers of the Asian Junior Chefs Challenge hatched by committee member Cyrus Todiwala, chef patron of Café Spice Namasté, Mr Todiwala’s Kitchen and The Park Café in Victoria Park East, announced the finalists who have the chance to win an expenses paid 10-day cook and study tour around Poona, Delhi and Bombay.

The finalists are Sam Jones, Theophil Dalton Maag and Nathan Galyle from Westminster Kingsway College; Manesh Komal, Neel Shah and Fern Lough from University of West London; and Samina Gul, Hassan Vinhani and Greg Situnayake from University College Birmingham.

At the cook-off at the Hilton London Heathrow T5, each team will be asked to produce a four-course Pan-Asian meal to be judged by a panel of professional chefs and key industry figures. Only the main course has to be Indian. They will also be expected to make a 10-minute presentation to demonstrate the depth of their knowledge and understanding of Asian cuisine.

A gala dinner at the hotel to announce the winners will follow in the evening, with tickets to be sold in support of the activities and charities of the MCGB.

MCGB chairman Clive Roberts said: “It was tough having to select from such a talented array of entries to the first round. I’d really like to thank all the students and course tutors who took the time to get involved and I urge them to join again next year.

“It’s encouraging to have so many students from some of the country’s top hospitality and catering colleges submit such high quality entries during the competition’s inaugural year. This means there’s a real groundswell of interest and concern out there for the future of Asian cuisine among colleges and the talented young chefs whose careers they nurture.”

The competition is sponsored by: Carisma, Cobra Beer, Hilton London Heathrow T5, Mr Todiwala’s Kitchen, Oliver Harvey, Panasonic, Radisson Blu Plaza Delhi, Ritu Wines, Schwartz and Tilda.