A TORQUAY chef is among 34 finalists in with a chance of taking the title of Pub Chef of the Year.

Ben Kingdom, 24, who works at the Cary Arms in Torquay, is among the finalists in the licensed trade magazine Morning Advertiser's 2010 Great British Pub Food Awards.

Ben, who trained at South Devon College, is a finalist in the poultry section.

The chefs are being judged through a series of 11 category cook-offs and the winning chef will have a menu devised by him, or her, served to the 300 guests at the awards in London in March.

Editor of the Morning Advertiser, Paul Charity, said it was an achievement just to reach the finals of the competition.

He said: "The quality of entrants continues to increase year on year and our finalists have done amazingly well to reach the finals."

Ben was assisted by the pub's chef de parte Steve Poyner, 18, also ex-South Devon College who will be helping him on his big day.