He beat off stiff competition from the other finalists, which included runner up 16-year-old Jacques Verite, who works full time at his family run restaurant in Southport, Merseyside.

Akrigg impressed the judges with his starter of asparagus and poached egg with brown butter hollandaise, blanching the asparagus in a homemade veg nage. His main course was fillet of plaice, Morecombe Bay shrimps and heritage potatoes with crushed peas and shoots, finished off with a roast bone sauce made from the plaice bones and topped with pea shoots grown on Rogan & Company’s farm.

For dessert he created a cheesecake using cheese sourced locally from Holker Farm Dairy, served with raspberries dressed with elderflower gin liqueur before being finished off with granola.

Chairman of judges Brian Mellor, who founded this competition for chefs under 23, said: “It was a closely contested final, but Daniel worked quickly and with focus, and was controlled at all times to produce balanced and well flavoured dishes. As the judges spoke to him throughout the competition, he displayed good awareness and knowledge of his ingredients and why he was preparing and cooking them in that way.”

The teenager, who is halfway through his level 3 NVQ patisserie at Kendal College, paid attention to local sourcing and seasonality, and took advice from his team at the restaurant, particularly head chef Danni Barry and restaurant proprietor Simon Rogan.

He now automatically qualifies for Young National Chef of the Year later this year, and will receive a week stage at a top restaurant and a set of professional chef’s knives for winning the North West Young Chef 2013 title.

The judging panel also included Essential Cuisine managing director Nigel Crane, chef consultant Steven Doherty, Mary-Ellen McTague from Great British Menu, and Craft Guild of Chefs chairman Christopher Basten.

The competition, which invites chefs from Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside, Cheshire and Cumbria, to compete against each other, was initiated by Mellor’s desire to recognise rising stars from the region and emphasis on local provenance.

At the county heats and at the final, contenders have to cook a three-course meal for two using North West seasonal produce costing up to £25, a challenge that has produced spectacular results over the years.

Now part of the mix is the opportunity for county heat winners to attend a masterclass with an acclaimed chef prior to the final to hone particular skills, with the 2013 finalists being given a session with Chris Holland, head chef at Alderley Edge Hotel and contestant on Great British Menu.