TWO boys compared to TV personalities Ant and Dec have charmed their way through to the second round of the Disney Channel’s cookery competition.

Samuel Browne, ten, and Roman Burzotta, ten, who are pupils at Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School in Leigh, have mastered several dishes to get through to the next round of First Class Chef and have inspired many children to take up cookery.

The show, presented by celebrity chef Michel Roux Junior, has 12 pairs of competitors in the running, with a pair being eliminated each week after preparing the requested dish and facing the judges.

Sam’s dad, Tim Browne, of Woodfield Gardens, Leigh, said: “The boys have been called the Ant and Dec of the competition – they have been best friends for seven years.

“I think they got through partly because of their personality, everyone at the show loves them.”

Both boys, nicknamed the two cheeky Italians by the producers, are half Italian and from families with backgrounds in cookery.

Sam’s dad used to work in restaurants, his grandmother taught cookery and Roman’s family own Il Pescatore, an Italian restaurant, in Queens Road, Southend.

Their cheeky side was shown in an earlier skills challenge where all teams were tasked with making an omelette.

Tim said Samuel and Roman burnt it and said to the judge: “You know char grilled chicken, well this is char grilled omelette.”

They then wished Michel good luck, who replied: “Why do I need luck? You’re the ones being judged.”

The boys told him:“Well you’ve got to eat that!”

The cheeky pair have inspired other children to have a go in the kitchen as their parents uploaded photos on Instagram of their children’s cookery.

The best friends like experimenting with food together and they love cooking lobster, pasta, puddings and steak.

Their latest creation was cod with pesto on a bed of brown rice with mediterranean veg.

The boys initially signed up as a bit of fun after they received a letter at school about the competition and had to make a video of them cooking.

About 400 pairs got through to the first stage and ten pairs were from Our Lady of Lourdes, with just Roman and Sam making it to the final 12.

Tim added: “It’s all really exciting and I’m really proud of them as they have both worked really hard.”

Viewers can catch up on the competition on the Disney Channel and follow the boys as they enter the next round.