The competition is the latest online spin-off of the popular student culinary competition, Zest Quest Asia. The three finalists and their recipes are:

• Alfie Joe Alsop of Cambridge Regional College: Korean bibimbap
• Matas Gestautas of New City College (Redbridge Campus): a bulgogi Korean BBQ short ribs dish
• Emily Simkins of North Hertfordshire College: Thai salmon in spicy coconut sauce with turmeric rice

The finalists were picked from a field of over 20 students, each having to submit a recipe for an Asian-inspired dish that can be part-cooked in a Panasonic professional combination microwave oven.

Cyrus Todiwala said: “The Zest Quest Asia – Panasonic Autumn Challenge is designed to inspire our next generation of professional chefs to accept the use of high-tech, high-output and power-saving equipment in the production of great quality dishes at speed.

“The ability to take advantage of available technology adds to the repertoire of skills demanded of chefs today, and the need will only grow in the future. I’m so proud of the fact that so many students like Alfie, Matas and Emily were talented and ambitious enough to accept our challenge and submit their entries.”

Each finalist must now film themselves live on video as they cook the dishes in their college kitchens. The judging panel, which includes Cyrus and Pervin Todiwala as well as Murray Chapman will then make a decision based on the video content.

Barnaby Sykes, head of category marketing, Panasonic, added: “We asked them to prepare and cook an authentic Asian dish, but they had to demonstrate how they could use a combination microwave to replace some of the traditional stages of cooking.

“We’ve been blown away by the response and high standard of entries and thank every college that took part. Now we can’t wait to see what these three finalists can do and look forward to announcing the winner very soon.”

The winning student will receive a Panasonic combination microwave for his or her college, as well as a Santoku knife and a £50 Russums voucher (for the lecturer as well).

The two runner up students will win a commercial rice cooker for their respective colleges, as well as a Santoku knife and a £25 Russums voucher each for themselves and their lecturer.