THE DRIVE and talent of a young Okehampton chef has won him the title of Exeter College Catering Student of the Year.
David Wills, 20, is 'pretty chuffed' at his achievement which follows his success at the British Open Cookery Championships last year when he and his team won a silver medal in the student chef challenge.
His ambition is to be the youngest head chef in Britain — and working at one of the country's most highly rated restaurants he is well on his way.
David left college in July after gaining an NVQ level three in Food Preparation and Cooking and he is now a comi chef at Gidleigh Park, which is one of only 12 establishments in Britain to be awarded two Michelin stars.
Having studied hotel management, the chef's long-term aim is to own his own hotel or restaurant but he knows he has some way to go.
'I consider myself very lucky to be working at Gidleigh Park and under the guidance of head chef Michael Caines who I really admire,' he said.
'At the moment I am at the bottom of the tree but over the next couple of years I plan to work my way up and then hopefully go to a high-level kitchen maybe in France or Italy.'
David got the cooking bug at the age of 13 after watching his father make an omelette and took home economics as an option at school.
It was his tutors at Exeter College who put him in touch with Gidleigh Park and after a work placement there last April he was promised a position if one came up.
David said what he enjoyed most about being a chef was making people happy.
'I want people to enjoy food and not everybody has a good experience when they go out for a meal.
'I think is is important that a high standard is achieved in food establishments throughout the country from pubs to high class restaurants.'
l David is pictured right with his trophy.
Picture by Ian Snell