A SKILFUL young Inverclyde chef will be going global with a once-in-a-lifetime job opportunity after winning a hugely prestigious cookery competition.

Former St Columba's Kilmacolm pupil Jonathan Ferguson is celebrating after he scooped the sought-after Roux Scholarship following a battle with five other top UK chefs.

Jonathan, 25, got through to the final six of the programme last year and was pipped at the post - but this year, his talents outshone those of his contemporaries to secure him an incredible prize.

The young chef now gets to choose a three-star Michelin restaurant anywhere in the world where he will work for up to three months.

Jonathan, who is currently junior sous chef at the Glenturret Lalique in Crieff, says he is thrilled.

He said: "I'm really, really happy.

"I felt a lot better going into the final than I did last year.

"I wasn't less nervous but I was much less anxious the night before as I knew what to expect."

Jonathan was challenged to create an 'old school' French dish - a chaud-froid of duck with a chartreuse of asparagus.

Some of the cooking involved roasting, grilling and then glazing the duck, alongside creating an ornate mould full of asparagus and other vegetables.

The talented chef prepared for the challenge by doing a lot of reading but said there was no way he could have pre-empted what he would have to make.

Jonathan added: "The dish was nowhere near what I thought it would be and was like nothing I've ever cooked before.

"I freaked out a bit when I was presented with it but after a couple of minutes, I settled into it really quickly.

"I broke it all down into its individual components.

"I think I was pretty much on point with the timings and plating up was easier as it was a cold dish."

Jonathan and his fellow finalists all cooked at 10-minute intervals and the winner was announced at the awards dinner around four hours later.

The prize was presented by world-renowned chefs Michel Roux, Alain Roux and Helene Darroze at the Mandarin Oriental in London's Hyde Park.

Jonathan said he didn't expect to hear his name called out and tried not to get his hopes up throughout the competition.

He said: "It felt really good when I heard my name.

"The judges said they were impressed by all six finalists in terms of their cooking and how they carried themselves throughout the competition."

Alongside choosing a world placement anywhere in the world, Jonathan receives £6,000 and a host of other prizes including a magnum of champagne and a set of knives.

He's thinking about choosing to work in Singapore or Japan but wants to speak to the judges to find out where they would choose for themselves.

Jonathan added: "I'd like to work in Asia.

"It's a very different cooking style and culture there and the placement is something I simply couldn't organise for myself.

"Wherever I end up, I know it will be an incredible experience."