Kids with Eggs Factor battle it out in 2009

British Lion Eggs is launching a nationwide search for children with the ‘Eggs Factor’.

Budding Nigellas and Jamies between the ages of seven and 11 will be encouraged to come up with their favourite eggy recipe with the hope of making it to a series of cook-offs all over the UK.

The 12 young chefs with the most imaginative and tasty recipes will win a Nintendo DS console along with a Cooking Guide: Can’t Decide What to Eat? game. Top chefs from all over Britain will judge the cook-offs, to be held in school kitchens during June 2009.

Children will be asked to design a dish for their favourite character or celebrity. Whether they choose a pirate-themed omelette for Captain Jack Sparrow or a scramble for Oliver Twist, the judges can look forward to a variety of dishes.

Leading children’s food expert Annabel Karmel will judge the final on July 6 as the regional winners go head-to-head in the national cook-off. The Eggs Factor champion will be treated to a special culinary weekend in London, including an afternoon at the research kitchen where Annabel Karmel develops her recipes and a visit to jungle favourite Rainforest Cafe. The winning recipe will also be published in one of Karmel’s forthcoming cookbooks.

Andrew Parker, Chairman of the British Egg Industry Council, said: “We want to encourage children and their parents to cook healthy, easy meals at home. Eggs can be cooked in many different ways so we are really excited to see what the young chefs come up with!”

Children will enter on the specially designed website crackingeggs.co.uk. The competition will close May 5.