Looking the part in their new black aprons, a swirl of nervous energy lingers in a room filled with teenagers as the final plans for their big night are refined.

For one night, a humble gym hall in Edinburgh has been transformed into the location for a black-tie supper with a menu ranging from Newhaven crab to Knockraich crowdie cheesecake aiming to complete the ambience.

It is the result of months of work, a lot of which has taken place across the road in Michelin-starred restaurant The Kitchin.

Six young Scots from the Citadel Youth Centre in Leith have been taken under the wing of chef Tom Kitchin, the youngest winner of a Michelin star, to learn the ropes of life in the kitchen of a top restaurant.

It was an opportunity 15-year-old Milan Bell, who had been in and out of school for several months before starting the training, was keen to take part in, given her hopes of one day working in the food industry.

"The first impressions were quite astounding," she says, following several busy hours of preparation.

"It was chaotic in the kitchen, everyone was moving around the place, all doing different things. I was amazed because I didn't know how they could work like that.

"But it was an organised chaos because they knew what they were doing and knew where they were going.

"It was a big inspiration to keep on cooking because one day I could work in a kitchen or own my own one. I just want to keep going and push myself to get somewhere."

Milan is now looking forward to August when she begins a hospitality course at college, having gained a conditional place following her stint in The Kitchin.

"When I told my interviewer I was doing this thing with Tom Kitchin she was quite excited and kept asking me questions about how the kitchen was and what I made and what we were doing for this event and she was really interested."

She adds: "My mum says she is proud of me because I am actually taking opportunities to do stuff that I like."

Thursday night's black-tie event was the concept of Citadel Youth Centre manager Willy Barr. The Edinburgh charity has been working in Leith for the last 35 years and counts the likes of current Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC manager John Hughes among its former members.

John was one of the first through the doors when it opened and credits his career to the foundations laid at the club, saying it taught him how to respect others and bounce back from tough times.

While the main group of people at the centre ranges from about five to 21, Willy says the remit goes far beyond that with classes and events for everyone from babies to pensioners, with one of the members celebrating a 98th birthday today.

Always on the lookout for new ideas to offer opportunities to young people, he looked across the road at The Kitchin restaurant sign one day and realised there was one right on their doorstep.

His determination impressed chef Tom, as did the prospect of helping young teenagers get a taste of life inside the food industry.

"He kept banging on the door, this random Leither," Tom laughs.

"Willy's determination to get me to do it was quite something. It wasn't that I didn't want to do it, it was just finding the time.

"For me, it is really important that I support the local community. I am really passionate about kids and youth and trying to get people to do something with food and enjoy food."

Noticing a change in the teenagers since they first stepped into the bustling Leith kitchen, Tom says the experience has been a "baptism of fire" that has allowed them to get a glimpse of the pace of a Michelin-starred restaurant.

"It is really rewarding as a mentor to see young people embrace a new challenge," he says.

"And that's all I ask for really, for people to be up for the challenge, put themselves out of their comfort zone and step into my world a little bit. And they have done that.

"Even now, I can see the difference - they have a sparkle in their eye. And hopefully, who knows, it might be the inspiration to say I want a career in food, or eat better or realise the love of food, the enjoyment of eating.

He adds: "I am very blessed this restaurant has given us an incredible world that we are in now. But just across the road, there's another world and it is important we don't forget that."

Having worked at the Citadel for 13 years as a manager and several before that as youth worker, Willy has seen first-hand how projects like this can impact on a young person's life.

Watching the impact these projects can have is his drive, especially when facing current tight budget constraints.

Last year, the Citadel had to stop a families project, a decision Willy says was very difficult to make and which spurred them to launch the start of a new fundraising project called Friends of the Citadel.

"This place runs on a very tight budget and it is sometimes a fragile budget and this is about trying to address some of the fragility," he says.

"The reason this place and places like it are important is because it has strong roots in the community.

"We want to help to continue to offer help, guidance and support and most importantly, time, to all our people - of all ages - who need our support, because life isn't always easy."

As well as the six budding chefs cooking alongside The Kitchin staff, a further 12 young people were also trained by the restaurant's maitre d' Sylvain Ranc to help serve the food on the night.

Willy adds: "Many of the young folk who come to the centre and use the centre, unfortunately they go through their whole school career and they leave, sometimes, with little or no qualifications so it is really important for us to keep them buoyant with their own confidence and think about what it is they want to do next and help them to do things.

"A lot of things we do here at the Citadel is support and encourage young people, we essentially stand side by side and say 'come on, let's try this.'

"These young people are walking about with pictures of crab and beef Wellington on their phones. How many teenagers do you know who would say,'here, have a look at this' and then show you a picture of a dressed crab?

"We interviewed them for this project and some of them could hardly make eye contact or look at you in the interview when asking why they wanted a place in the Tom Kitchin programme.

"I look at them now and they are jumping about and not one of them looks shy - they are ready to go.

"It is important that this is not the end and that we keep working with these guys."