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Chef reflects on 'great experience' of MasterChef

News imageBBC Chef Luke Emmess sitting on a table inside a pub during an interview. He is smiling and looking away from the camera.BBC
The Winchester chef has been competing for the coveted trophy and title of MasterChef

Spoiler warning: This article reveals details from MasterChef: The Professionals

A Hampshire head chef has described the "pressure" of making it to the final battle of BBC's cooking show MasterChef: The Professionals.

Luke Emmess, 32, who runs the kitchen at the award-winning hotel pub The Wykeham Arms in Winchester, will compete with two others for the show's coveted trophy on Thursday.

His challenges have included creating demanding dishes such as a goat's cheese mousse and a molten chocolate tart with oat crumble, which requires a precise 5-6 minute bake.

Emmess said that so far, it had been "a great experience" for him.

News imageA close up of a molten chocolate tart with an oat crumble served on a white plate. It has a raspberry on top of it.
A molten chocolate tart with an oat crumble was one of Emmess' dishes

The competing chefs have a limited amount of time for creating the dishes that judges Marcus Wareing, Monica Galetti and Matt Tebbutt task them with.

Emmess said none of his family had known he was going to be on the show and he had kept it a secret from his kids.

"We just wanted to see their excitement, seeing it the first time, and they were really happy."

His wife served as an inspiration for one of his dishes.

"I did a dish based around ingredients that she loved," Luke said.

"Marcus Wareing said that he believes he could see it on a two, three Michelin star restaurant anywhere in Europe.

"You can't really get much higher praise than that."

Emmess has been head chef of the Wykeham Arms in Winchester since 2020.

He had previously been head chef at The Still & West in Old Portsmouth, having studied at South Downs College in Waterlooville.

On Thursday, he and the other two remaining contestants will have a final cook-off for the title of superstar chef.

"It's been a lot of pressure, a lot of my own time putting into creating these dishes and practising them, but I'm really glad I've done it."

The finals week of Masterchef: The Professionals Finals is available on the BBC iPlayer.

News imageLeft to right - MasterChef judges Marcus Wareing, Matt Tebbutt and Monica Galetti sitting in a studio during an episode of the show. All are looking away from the camera.
Luke's dish inspired by his wife has received high praise from Michelin-starred chef Marcus Wareing (first from left to right)

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