A COOK is in the running to be named one of the country's top nursery chefs.
Staff at 213 Busy Bee nurseries across the UK were asked to create a hearty soup made of healthy ingredients for a competition.
The winner will see their recipe included in all Busy Bee Winter 2013 menus.
Jill Brown, 45, who works at Busy Bees Nursery in Daybrook has now been named as one of the nine finalists, after creating a cannellini bean and vegetable soup.
Ms Brown, from Top Valley, said: "I can't believe I have made the final. I am delighted.
"I really wanted to introduce an ingredient that was new to the children and cannellini beans are both healthy and make a great ingredient for a tasty soup."
Ms Brown, who created several recipes for the competition, whittled it down to cannellini beans and vegetable soup after carrying out a taste test with the children.
Four-year-old Ellouise-May Green said: "I like the soup at the nursery and we have bread – it's yummy."
Since creating the soup, the children at the nursery have been busy planting some of the vegetables used in the nursery garden, including carrots and tomatoes.
Harry Stringer, four, said: "I like Busy Bees soup with carrots in it."
Three-year-old Chloe Watkins, said she also likes to food the nursery provides.
She said: "I like the different kinds of soups our cook makes."
Anna Allen, manager of Busy Bees Nursery in Daybrook, said; "We are all really proud of Jill here. All the children have loved the whole process of the competition. Jill's cannellini bean and vegetable soup gets a big thumbs up from everyone at the nursery."
Jill beat over 30 other entries in the region to make it though to the final of the Sensational Soup competition, which will be held at Marco Pierre White's Carnarvan Arm's in Newbury, Berkshire on July 2.
The nine finalists will make their soups in a Master Chef style challenge before their soup will be judged by Busy Bees managing director, Marg Randles, and guest chef Andrew Bennett, who is the executive chef at Marco Pierre White's Wheelers pubs.
Marg Randles said: Our Nurseries have always recognised the importance of healthy eating."
