Sarah Charlton set her sights on a job in the busy pub near her home.

"I always thought it looked like a nice, friendly place, then I noticed that it was being refurbished so I went to ask whether there were any jobs," she recalls.

Luckily, they were looking for someone and she was thrilled to be offered a position in the kitchen.

"I was really excited," says the former pupil at Whitcliffe Mount School. She began washing pots, but was quickly promoted.

"I was moved after just one day," she laughs. "I didn't expect it to happen so fast, but I was immediately offered the chance to start training as a chef."

Five years on, and aged just 23, Sarah is in charge of a team of chefs at the Wyke Lion on Whitehall Road, Wyke. "I have worked very hard," she says, having successfully passed NVQ levels 2 and 3 on the road to becoming kitchen manager. "I trained on-the-job, which worked out well."

The cosy pub, with its log fires, is part of the Mitchells & Butler Vintage Inn chain, offering diners traditional, hearty fare including fish and chips, sausage and mash and steaks, as well as influences from further afield, with a range of curries and pasta dishes.

Desserts feature old favourites including rhubarb and raspberry crumble and vanilla panacotta.

Sited on a busy cross-roads, the pub is popular with people travelling in and out of Bradford to work or, presently, for Christmas shopping. "We are very busy on a weekend, with a lot of families coming in," says Sarah. "We have a steady stream of regulars, and a lot of people send their compliments to the kitchen staff."

She compliments her team - "We work well together. We need each other - I couldn't do my job without them." Her management style is "firm but fair," and she stays calm under pressure, even when faced with up to 500 customers to cater for in one day. "It is a stressful job but you get used to it. I have learned to control my stress levels."

The menu is changed twice a year. "A lot of effort goes into it," says Sarah, who sings the praises of Mitchells & Butler as a good company to work for.

Sarah's mum Norma also works at the Wyke Lion, as a cleaner and a kitchen assistant. "It is nice to be able to work togther," says Sarah, who has her mum to thank for an early introduction to cooking.

"I really enjoyed cooking as a child. My mum is a really good cook and she let me help her in the kitchen. I liked experimenting, seeing what I could make from different ingredients."

The chatty chef lives at the pub, which she feels is a plus point. "I know if they are struggling I can be there for them, which is good." She lives with her boyfriend Peter, 26, an electroplater. "While I'm working with food, he's working with chrome and zinc," she says. The pair love motorbikes and enjoy trips into the countryside.

Sarah is happy in her work, but - in common with many chefs - she has dreams of owning her own café. "I wouldn't want a big, fancy restaurant but a smaller place where you can eat traditional English food, with a bit of Italian too. It would be nice and friendly, with something for everyone. "

  • The Wyke Lion. Whitehall Road, Tel: (01274) 674756