Colleges including Devon, Durham, Shrewsbury and Bristol are being visited by Game-to-Eat’s consultant chef Lee Maycock who will be giving an in-depth briefing on ‘fur and feather’ as well as a cookery demonstration on game dishes.

Year two and three catering students can participate in the competition, which requires original recipes using partridge or pheasant and colour photograph to be submitted.  Ten finalists will then be invited to a cook-off in London where Lee and a panel of judges will choose a winner and two runners up.

The prize fund includes £500 of equipment vouchers along with a week’s work experience at a top restaurant.

Alexia Robinson of Game-to-Eat said: “The Game-to-Eat campaign was set up to encourage more people to eat game, either at home or when in a restaurant.  We feel this competition will give chefs of the future a good introduction to cooking game and the flavours that work well together.   As a wild, free-range seasonal meat it is a must-have for all restaurant menus.”