The strange-sounding ingredients were just a couple of the amusing answers served up by budding Jamies and Nigellas as he quizzed them while tasting their creations in a cooking contest.

The Can You Cook It? competition at Morley High School, Leeds, saw the hall turned into a huge theatre kitchen, complete with ovens, fridges, dozens of utensils and a big screen to show the cooks' skills in close-up to an audience of hundreds.

The Ready Steady Cook regular enjoyed a giggle with pupils as they impressed him with their gastronomic knowledge but stumbled over the proper names for rocket and balsamic vinegar.

Encouraged

The Yorkshire treasure, who was awarded a CBE for services to the catering industry in 2002 and received an Honorary Doctorate of Science from Leeds Met in 2006, said: "It's very important that anybody who wants to cook can be encouraged to cook at an early age.

"This school has a great attitude towards helping people to cook and if I can encourage them, that's fantastic."

After leaving Morley High he studied catering at Leeds Thomas Danby, winning a prize for his practical skills.

He hadn't been back to his school since 1991, when he opened its new hall and cooked dinner for 100 guests.

The two establishments teamed up to organise the competition. The college's assistant director and chef tutor, Gordon Sibbald, joined Turner on the judging panel.

They scored the four young teams on their table-laying as well as their cooking ability.

The finalists had already proved they were hot stuff, beating almost 150 pupils, from years seven, eight and nine in cooking contests over the past three months.

Four teams of parents, governors and teachers turned up the heat by battling it out in a live cook-off, whipping up a three-course meal.

The winning team was picked by the audience in true Ready Steady Cook style – by holding up coloured cards.

The contest was between the four school houses – Einstein, Quant, Turing and Franklin.

Guests also sampled fare from a Yorkshire farmers' market and stalls run by local restaurants and suppliers.

The young winners will receive training in Leeds Thomas Danby's commercial kitchen, as well as being treated to a meal at the college.

To find out what Brian Turner liked and loathed about school dinners go to www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk.