They beat off two teams from Norwich City College, Oxford & Cherwell College, Yorkshire Coast College, Stratford upon Avon College, Grimsby Institute of Further & Higher Education and Nelson & Colne College to scoop the title. Now in its 14th year, the seafood competition founded by the Grimsby Institute's hospitality department has gone from strength to strength. This year it hosted a number of celebrity chefs who support the competition due to its promotion of sustainable fish, which is at the heart of this event. Each year a choice of species are selected for competitors to consider when designing their three course menu for six covers that costs no more than £15 per head. With the help of GoodCatch, a joint project of the Marine Conservation Society, Marine Stewardship Council, SeaWeb's Seafood Choices and Sustain, competition organiser Paul Robinson worked with the industry to select this year's seafood produce, which was provided by the sponsors. For the first course Seachill supplied cod and Sealord supplied smoked haddock; for the intermediate course Clearwater supplied scallops and Young's supplied langoustines. The latter supplied both the whole lemon sole and whole tilapia for the main course. While the competition standard is always very high at the final, the rules are verified by Chris Leftwich of Billingsgate Market to ensure competitors deliver the finest dishes using the freshest produce. The Manchester College duo's winning menu consisted of a trio of smoked haddock, scallop and roasted pepper lasagne with watercress and courgette salad, and pan fried tilapia with dauphinoise potatoes, warm wine and lemon jelly with chilli and lime foam. For the first time the final was broadcast live via the competition website and televisions in the Gallery Restaurant so that sponsors and supporters could watch all the action in the kitchens. The judges – Tom Aikens, Mitch Tonks, Franck Pontais, Chris Leftwich and Young's head product development chef Serge Nollent – had a hard job as the standard was at an all time high. Aikens said "the standard was fantastic and all the competitors cooked some great dishes", while Pontais stated that "this is a brilliant competition for young chefs". As well as the trophy, the winners received £1,000, catering equipment worth £1,000 from Russums for their college, a day with Jean-Christophe Novelli at his culinary academy in Luton and a work placement at a Mitch Tonks restaurant. A year's free membership to the Craft Guild of Chefs was awarded to first, second and third places. Second and third places went to Wesley Mathysen and Freya Jones from Oxford & Cherwell College and Lauren Goodyear and Sarah Griffiths from Norwich City College respectively. The 2012 Young Seafood Chef of the Year rules will be available online later this year and should be released in early December. For further information, visit www.ukseafood.co.uk