Handed a $300 truffle that some of their schoolmates may not have even recognised, Daramalan College students Mitchell Abrahams and Jasmine Sawa expertly incorporated its shavings into an award-winning dish on Thursday.

Their chicken, nori and foie gras roulade with a truffled chicken faggot and fresh cheese gnocchi earned the duo the title of Canberra's best school chefs and a place at an international competition in New Zealand.

In the ultimate compliment to their work, impressed judges at the two-school competition at the Canberra Institute of Technology said they would be happy to pay for the meal in any fine dining restaurant.

Four judges scrutinised each dish cooked by the three pairings from Daramalan and three from Gungahlin College, and said all their efforts were outstanding.

Judge Tom McDonnell from the Australian Culinary Federation said all the work was restaurant quality.

"For their age group and their skill level these dishes are outstanding," he said. "There were a couple of technical mistakes but no customers would notice."

National Press Club chef Paul Butler said all the students were the chefs of the future for the ACT.

"If these students are any indication of our chefs in the coming future we should be really positive and excited," he said.

Both winners said they were nervous throughout the competition but relieved when their meal finally hit the plate for judging.

"It feels great to win," Mitchell said. "I’ve been through the competition twice before so it was something I really wanted."

Jasmine said: "The win is amazing. We really were not expecting it."

Both students laughed when the TV show Masterchef was mentioned and said they did not plan on entering the competition.

While Mitchell said he did not plan to work in hospitality, Jasmine has scored an apprenticeship with Sage restaurant and will begin after she graduates.