A Dorset chef is in the final of a national cooking competition.

But Dorset County Council chef Patrick Moore must serve up a mouth-watering two-course dinner costing no more than £1.20 a head.

After running big kitchens in hotels and restaurants, Patrick now works in Dorset's day centres and care homes cooking up healthy, enticing meals on a strict council budget.

Representing the South West, he is one of eight chefs in the Care Cook of the Year Awards and has specifically designed his meal to tickle the taste buds of elderly diners.

Patrick, 41, of Tollerdown Road, Weymouth, said: "I've done all the bigger budget stuff in the past when I was doing full-on a la carte cooking for big functions.

"But working within the restraints of a council budget really keeps you on your toes.

"It's very exciting. There's a new challenge every day."

At the national final in Birmingham on Thursday Patrick's two-course dinner for four, costing a total of £4.80, will be:

  • A pork and mixed bean casserole, served with a pan-fried potato, apple and chive rosti, accompanied by a jenga tower of carrots and finely-shredded leeks, followed by . . .
  • A sticky toffee pudding of dates and william pear served with a warm toffee sauce.

He said: "I sometimes think the elderly are forgotten.

"But with things like Jamie Oliver's school dinner campaign and the focus on healthy diets, the importance of nutritional food for the elderly is now becoming more high-profile.

"My menu is based around nutritional needs.

"I've kept it quite simple, but at the same time tried to make it interesting, colourful and appealing."

Patrick trained at Weymouth College before working in the Sea Cow on Weymouth harbourside, Dorchester's King's Arms Hotel, Portland's Pennsylvania Castle and the Streamside in Preston.

He has also worked at the Verne Prison where he was catering for inmates of 57 different nationalities. Patrick said: "I find it more exciting working with budget constraints.

"And when residential or special needs clients come in to say thank you' it's really very rewarding."