FROM Lancashire hotpot to Lamb biryani, dishes representing the town and its people were created in a special gastronomical cook off, a Women in Neighbourhoods Project, funded by Heritage Lottery.

A Taste of Bolton Cultural Masterchef Cook-off was held to officially launched a recipe book "A Taste of Bolton".

And the amateur and professional chefs behind the dishes recreated them for the competition, judged by a panel including Bolton-born chef Paul Heathcote.

Bolton College hosted the competition which had 24 teams taking part in three categories ­— students, community and business ­— with points awarded for taste and presentation.

Mouth-watering dishes prepared represented the diverse cultures and cuisines of Bolton.

Traditional Lancashire dishes were on the menus, as well as dishes from as far a field of Georgia, India, Iraqi Kurdistan, Iran, Pakistan, Palestine, Scotland, Sudan with people from those places making their home in Bolton.

Say organisers, judges were treated to a tantalising, heady mix of delicious aromas of offerings including cullen ckink, chicken Karachi, lamb biryani, spiced fish pilaff, Lancashire hotpot, khareshteh, kashke and dolima.

Mayor of Bolton, Cllr Hilary Fairclough presented the winning teams with their prizes.

She said, “The cultural MasterChef cook off was a brilliant experience and A Taste of Bolton Cook book is absolutely fabulous.

"I must admit I wasn’t sure what to expect at this event but whatever I thought could never have measured up to what actually happened.

"All of the “chefs “ were so accomplished that it would be difficult to have known who were professional and who was considered amateur I only know that if I have practised all year I couldn’t have come up with anything near the standard tonight.

"The whole event was a triumph."

The judges were Edith Conn OBE, President of the Greater Manchester Red Cross; Professor His Honour William Morris, deputy chair of the University of Bolton Board of Governors; Bill Webster, Principal of Bolton College; Shauna Morton from Bolton at Home; Paul Heathcote, RAF Sergeant Amanda Edwards, Baroness Newlove and Gulnaz Brennan, of Women in Neighbourhoods.

Mr Heathcote said: “Food brings everyone together and here we have food from the four corners of the world. I’ve had a wonderful evening at this great event and tasted some very exotic dishes, all brought together here in Bolton.”

Mr Webster added: “I am delighted as principal to open Bolton College to this fantastic community event, bringing together the rich diversity of people, cultures and cuisines to be found here in our town.”

Event organiser Gulnaz Brennan said: “This fantastic event was possible with the help and contribution of some amazing people.

" Food brings people together and amazing stories and memories were shared during the course of this project.”

The recipe book, A Taste of Bolton includes the dishes created and the stories behind them.

It is available from Amazon and Bolton-based House of Raja which donated the hampers.

Money from the sale of the book will go the Mayor's chosen charities.