A CLACKS teacher who reached the final of MasterChef has held a series of packed events at Dollar Academy where she demonstrated her culinary skills.

For Jilly McCord, a history teacher at the school, they offered her an opportunity to express her gratitude to all those who supported her throughout her TV experience.

Incredibly, she made it all the way to the final episode of this year's season, but just missed out on clinching the sought-after title.

Speaking to the Advertiser about the recent events, held on Tuesday, May 14, again yesterday, she said: "It was partly kind of celebrating the MasterChef journey.

"But they were also for me to say thank you to the school who have been really supportive – the pupils, parents, staff and the wider community."

The free events took place in Dollar Academy's auditorium, where a make-shift kitchen was set up so Jilly could cook two meals, before taking questions from audience members.

Some of the dishes she cooked included butternut squash and ricotta ravioli, and venison loin accompanied by venison and black pudding bon bons and celeriac puree.

The events were attended by pupils, parents and members of the local community, and attracted a crowd of 150 people each time.

Jilly said: "It was a bit, sort of, off the cuff, because it's not something I've done before.

"I was nervous beforehand, because it's one thing having a camera in front of you, but another thing when an audience is in front of you."

But the interest and engagement from audiences soon put her nerves to rest, as people proved to be keen to learn more about her MasterChef journey, and her cooking skills.

She said: "A lot of people were asking about the show and what goes on behind the scenes, how did I prepare – some people asked me cooking questions too.

"There were lots of questions from kids, asking: 'Are you going to come and cook us dinner?' and: 'Do you ever go to McDonald's for your tea?'"

In spite of her initial nerves, she admitted: "When I got into it, I really enjoyed it."

Jilly's events also raised hundreds of pounds for charities such as Alloa's foodbank and Dementia Scotland, as donations were collected from audience members.

She thanked everyone who attended for their support and enthusiasm.

To keep up to date with Jilly's cooking exploits and upcoming events, follow her Instagram account using @jillymccordcooks