Three primary schools went head-to-head in a live cook-off that was the first of its kind.

Last week, children from three schools competed to see which team could cook the healthiest and most sustainable three-course meals.

The teams of 10 and 11-year-olds worked with minimal help from their supervisors, but only one team could be crowned winners of the first-ever Ceredigion Primary School Junior Chefs of the Year Competition, organised and hosted by Naturesbase in Cilcennin.

On 9 October, Mabli, Elliw and Beca from Ysgol Gymunedol y Dderi in Llangybi won first prize for their impressive menu of handmade breadcrumbed Glamorgan sausages, lamb and mint balls served with Welsh honey-glazed carrots, and a hand-piped baked Alaska.

One of the judges was Douglas Balis, Executive Chef at the Grove in Pembrokeshire and former Michelin star holder, who complimented the teams on their “delicious” food, “teamwork” and “understanding” of sustainability.

Osian, Griff and Tomos were runners up from Drefach’s Ysgol Dyffryn Cledlyn with their menu of cheese doughballs, handmade tagliatelle and meatballs and their own ice cream with summer fruits.

Serah, Madie and Liberty were tied runners-up from Aberystwyth’s Ysgol Gynradd Gatholig Padarn Sant, serving sourdough bread with broadbean hummus, handmade sage tagliatelle with mushroom and tomato sauce, and a dark chocolate and raspberry mouse with their own shortbread.

Gyles Morris, who set up Naturesbase educational centre 16 years ago, created the competition as a way to showcase Ceredigion’s pupils' skills: “The concept behind Naturesbase is teaching children about the environment and sustainability.

“There’s a lack of understanding of where our food is produced and how it ends up on our plate - the fork to fork story.

“I wanted to develop an opportunity for children to showcase their understanding of locally sourced ingredients, healthy menus, sustainability in terms of food miles, transportation and packaging.

“Today, the three schools have exceeded all my expectations in their understanding of sustainability and food provenance.

“The judges have been blown away and hugely encouraged that good food education is alive and well in Ceredigion schools.”

Schools across the county competed to get into the final, with the crowning school winning a full day immersive experience at Naturebase, learning about outdoor cooking, foraging and traditional food preparation.

The teams were judged for their creativity, nutritional value, sustainability, and the ability of children to prepare the dishes themselves.

The girls from Ysgol Gymunedol y Dderi said they had practised three times a week to prepare for the challenge, all stating they wanted to continue expanding their cooking skills following the competition.

They during their joint presentation: “Today's menu celebrates healthy eating and sustainability by using fresh locally sourced ingredients from our school garden, nearby farms and trusted organic suppliers.

“By choosing local produce, we reduced our carbon footprint and encouraged sustainable eating habits.

“It also helped us become more climate-conscious by building a stronger connection to where our food comes from.

“As a school, we learnt how to plant and care for our produce and feel proud of what we grow.”