Dragons’ Den star Levi Roots visited Westminster Kingsway College to talk to students and judge a charity cooking competition.

The Reggae Reggae Sauce star - who shot to fame in the BBC show in 2007 when Dragon Peter Jones invested money following his famous guitar-playing pitch - chatted to aspiring entrepreneurs and emphasised the need to support and educate the next generation of businessmen and women, particularly those from minority backgrounds.

“I know it’s tough, especially in my area,” he said. “Kids have to work twice as hard if they’re from an African-Caribbean area, but that doesn’t say there are not opportunities out there if you know where to look and you’ve got the drive to go that extra mile.

“It’s about priorities. Young people need to know what their priorities are.”

Mr Roots was visiting Kingsway College as part of the The Peter Jones Enterprise Academy, which delivers specialist courses in enterprise and entrepreneurship across the UK.

“Giving young people a firm grounding in business, with practical experience of what it takes to run a successful company, is vital,” he continued. “It’s this kind of education that can really make a difference to their future prospects.”

Before judging the cookery competition, Roots also spoke about his love of music, the cultural origins of the sauce and moving from Clarendon in Jamaica to the UK in 1969.

Since his appearance on Dragons’ Den Mr Roots has earned millions and is a regular fixture at the Notting Hill Carnival.