GNER Newcastle chef David Buchanan has been crowned GNER Chef of the Year by celebrity chefs Paul Rankin and Nick Nairn.

David, making his third appearance in the final, beat off strong competition from chefs from Edinburgh, Leeds and London King's Cross to win the prestigious annual Chef of the Year competition, which forms part of the York Festival of Food and Drink.

His winning menu included: smoked haddock rarebit on toast; fillet of beef with a gratin of chestnut mushrooms; chocolate, orange and hazelnut tart with mascarpone cream.

As part of his prize, David will spend a day at the Nick Nairn Cook School near Stirling in Scotland. The prestigious school has received many accolades from the hospitality and catering industry including a 5 star rating from VisitScotland.

David, who lives in Durham, said: “I am thrilled and delighted to have won the GNER Chef of the Year accolade at my third attempt. It was very nerve-racking to cook against the clock whilst being judged by two of the UK’s top chefs. I am also honoured to have been invited by Nick Nairn to train at his top cook school.”

Rail passengers will have the opportunity to sample David’s winning menu when it features as part of GNER’s on-board restaurant service next year.

David, who has worked for GNER since 2002, is the chef on-board GNER’s 06.30 ‘Newcastle Pullman’ service to London King's Cross.

Paul Rankin and Nick Nairn led the top judging panel, which also included GNER chief executive officer Jonathan Metcalfe, Eugene McCoy of North Yorkshire’s award-winning Tontine restaurant and Terry Miller, winner of the television cookery competition ‘Hell’s Kitchen’.

The four finalists at the competition were selected from qualifying heats in Durham and Peterborough earlier in the year.

The gruelling competition involves a two-hour cook-off against the clock in front of a large audience.