INGREDIENTS produced by National Trust tenants in West Somerset will be on the menu in a television contest that pits top chefs against each other.

The BBC's Great British Menu, now in its fifth series, is challenging chefs from around the country to source ingredients from and around National Trust estates.

And they will be competing for the chance to cook for the Prince of Wales, who is president of the National Trust, and the Duchess of Cornwall.

In the South West heat of the competition - the first round of which will be screened on Monday (April 26) - chef Henry Herbert will be seen using ingredients from the Holnicote Estate and Dunster.

Henry, who is just 22 and currently head chef at the Coach and Horses in London's Clerkenwell, will be using mutton and pork from Hindon Organic Farm on the outskirts of Minehead and flour from Dunster Water Mill.

He will be up against Devon chef John Hooker, working with produce from Dorset, and Nathan Outlaw, from Devon, sourcing his ingredients in Cornwall.

The 45-part series is following three different chefs each week as they unearth the finest produce from the farms, gardens and neighbourhoods surrounding their local trust properties or countryside locations.

"The added challenge of each chef having a National Trust property as a starting point for inspiration for their dishes, really forces them to step outside their comfort zone," said Gary Broadhurst, executive producer at programme-makers Optomen.

"They've had to unearth new suppliers and pull on all their creative talent to deliver a menu that is a true celebration of the very best local ingredients. 

"With three chefs battling it out for each region, the pressure is on."

After putting their culinary skills to the test in the kitchen, each dish will be judged daily by a former Great British Menu champion.

In a new twist, the chef with the least number of points after putting all four courses on the table will be eliminated. The two others will go through to the Friday cook-off for the programme's overall judges, food experts Matthew Fort, Prue Leith and Oliver Peyton.

Henry will be using the West Somerset produce to create a starter of heather smoked macon - a salted and smoked mutton replacement for bacon - with pickled beetroot and shallots.

His fish course will be 'fruits of the pond' - trout, crayfish, pike mousse and frogs' legs in fennel, watercress and celery broth - while the main will be Gloucester Old Spot Bath chaps (the lower cheeks of the pig) with Mendip Wallfish (snails), morels, turnip and crispy ear and dandelion salad.

For dessert, Henry will be serving gooseberry Queen of Puddings with elderflower ice cream.

The eight winning chefs will compete in the final round to create a meal that the judges consider fitting for the finale banquet at which the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall will be joined by some of the nation's best food producers, farmers and fishermen. 

With over 200,000 hectares of farmland, the National Trust and National Trust for Scotland are the UK's biggest farmers - and many of its tenants and producers are taking part in the series. 

Carol Holt, who leads the National Trust's food group in the region, said: "It's wonderful to see sustainable, locally produced, quality food being championed by programmes like this, and also to see it increasingly becoming available and sought out by growing numbers of people throughout the country."

The first round of the South West heat of the competition will be screened on BBC2 on Monday at 6.30pm, with other episodes at the same time through the rest of the week.