EIGHT of Scotland's brightest culinary talents will serve up a slice of TV show MasterChef in aid of a Glasgow hospice.

The Rising Stars of Blythswood Square hotel will cook a special lunch to raise funds for the Prince & Princess of Wales Hospice.

Former television newsreader Viv Lumsden is hosting the fundraiser on Sunday for 80 guests, which has already sold out.

The kitchen whizzes have worked in pairs to create dishes for a four-course menu to be served in the hotel's Monte Carlo Suite.

Like the format of BBC's hugely-popular MasterChef competition, the chefs will then go front of house to talk to the diners about their creations.

Executive head chef Derek Donaldson, who came up with the idea, believes the fundraising concept has fired the imagination of his staff.

The 41-year-old, from Baillieston, who has been in charge of the five-star hotel's kitchen since September 2011, said: "One of our own kitchen staff has cancer for a second time, so it really brings it home to us how important the charity is.

"These are probably the most talented bunch of young chefs I have had in a kitchen.

"They are each producing a dish and it is quite a responsibility, so we need to make sure they nail it and get it right."

The event will begin with a soup made by Stuart Dawson, 20, from East Kilbride, and Andrew Greaves, 23, from Knightswood.

Andrew, who washed dishes at the hotel for two years before making the step up to commis chef, said: "It's exciting to do this and it is something to be proud of."

Commis chef Andy Whitton, 24, of Rutherglen, gave up studying for a degree in computer game design to pursue his interest in food.

With the help of fellow commis chef Stuart McInnes, 23, of Castlemilk, the pair will make the fish course of hand-dived scallop with cauliflower textures.

Andy said: "I just hope everybody enjoys it. There are a lot of good dishes there, so it should be a good event."

The main course of spring lamb loin with wild garlic mash will be cooked by chef de partie Graham Gardner, 27, of Motherwell, and 21-year-old senior chef de partie Morven Gibson, 21, from Dumbarton.

The lunch is due to end in style with a flaming rhubarb creme brulee designed by commis chefs Heather Gibson, 29, from Newarthill, Lanarkshire, and Katrina Hocking, 21, of Bearsden.

Heather said: "We have a carmelisation kit so we can send it out on fire."

A raffle and auction will also be held on the day, with the star auction prize consisting of head chef Derek and two of his team cooking a dinner party for six at the highest bidder's home.

Proceeds from the event will go towards the £4.2million the hospice needs to raise annually to care for 1000 terminally-ill patients at its current home at Carlton Place, Gorbals.

The Evening Times is backing the £15million Brick By Brick appeal to build a new hospice facility next to Bellahouston Park.

Fiona Strauss, director of sales and marketing for Blythswood Square, said: "We are passionate about the hospice and to help them build a new one is really special."

maureen.ellis@ eveningtimes.co.uk