STUDENTS from Colchester Institute wowed judges with a masterful meal to win a regional catering competition.

Bethany Jemison and Dylan Massey Ryan took top spot in the ‘Passion to Inspire’ competition, run by Master Chef of Great Britain Murray Chapman.

A second team from the institute, James Drury and Rachel Speak, came third overall and won the egg ‘skills’ test.

The Colchester students were up against hosipitality and catering students from Cambridge Regional College, City College Norwich, Suffolk New College and West Suffolk College.

Yesterday, each group had 90 minutes to produce a main course and a dessert for two people, with a matching bottle of wine, at a cost of no more than £5 per head, excluding drinks.

The winners were selected by a panel of eight judges.

Permitted main courses included dauphinoise potatoes, homemade pasta, slow cooked meats or scaled and boned fish.