A COMMIS Chef from award-winning West Devon hotel, The Horn of Plenty, is celebrating after being crowned student of the year at City College Plymouth. 

Sarah Chapman, who has recently completed her NVQ level two in professional cookery and is due to start her NVQ level three, competed against 700 of her contemporaries for the title and now joins students throughout the country in the race to win the coveted National Apprentice of the Year Award.

Owner of The Horn of Plenty, Julie Leivers, said: 'Sarah has been working with us for more than 18 months and this award is testament to the hard work, dedication and commitment she has put in to achieving her professional cookery NVQs.

'The Horn of Plenty has been home to a number of winners from Plymouth and Exeter Colleges over the years and we are incredibly proud of Sarah's success. We wish her all the very best in the national awards and look forward to helping her work towards her NVQ level three.'

The Horn of Plenty has been home to some of the county's finest chefs, and the hotel's award-winning kitchen team is led by head chef Stuart Downie.

Stuart said: 'This award is really well-deserved and we are all absolutely thrilled for Sarah. Since joining us Sarah has shown great skill and a real determination to succeed and we are keeping everything crossed for the awards ceremony later this year.'