As the new series of Masterchef: The Professionals 2014 starts tomorrow we're taking a look at last year's winner Steven Edwards to find out what happened after the show and where he is now.
Steven Edwards stormed through MasterChef: The Professionals, with his creative dishes, fighting against tough competition to prove that he was the best of the professionals and ultimately winning the show in 2013.
In the five months after being crowned the winner of the show, Steven went back to being Head Chef at The Camellia Restaurant in the South Lodge Hotel we caught up with him to find out about his time on the show and why he went back to South Lodge.
"Going to Italy and working with Massimo Bottura was something you don’t get to do every day; to be given that opportunity and to spend two days with someone so passionate and enthusiastic – that will stay with me forever.
"Like every chef that goes into the trade, you want your own restaurant and that’s now become more of a reality for me but for the time being I’m happy where I am at South Lodge Hotel and doing what I’m doing.”
A year on it looks as though he’s happy developing his skills back at South Lodge as the restaurant is now under his direction. Supporting the local community and young upcoming talent, Steven has participated in judging a few regional competitions. In February this year, he was judged in the finals of Create and Cook Competition in Hampshire and Isle of Wight, a competition aimed at finding the best young cooking duo.
Most recently he judged the finals of a school competition ‘The Great Croft Cook-Off’ at The Croft Preparatory School inspiring young talented cooks that aspire to be chefs like him. In the meantime, he has participated in many food demonstrations that have shown off the new skills he acquired from his time on the show.
He held his own Masterclasses on Sunday at the Foodies Festival that took place the weekend 6-8th June at Clapham Common, as well as a number of food masterclasses within the hotel. His current aim is to put forward what he has learnt during his time on the show to try and push The Camellia restaurant further. Under his dedication and drive the restaurant is thriving.
His current dishes at The Camellia reminisce on his time in the competition with a special “My MasterChef Journey”.
This menu includes his mackerel, cucumber, shallot and dill recipe used in the Invention Test; ‘Caponata a la Damien Hurst’ a Massimo Bottura inspired dish and other signature dishes such as duck breast & leg with textures of broccoli and giroles.
With the recent announcement that new judge and top Michelin star chef, Marcus Wareing, will be on the panel for this year’s MasterChef: The Professionals, we are left to wait and look forward to how this year’s competition will differ from the previous shows. Will you be watching?
By Rebecca Smith
