Who is MasterChef: The Professionals 2020 chef Ross Burgess?

Introducing Ross Burgess, one of 32 chefs on MasterChef: The Professionals 2020, airing on BBC One every Tuesday and Wednesday from November 10th through to december 15th.

Ross Burgess is a Scottish chef from Moray and was a quarter finalist in the Masterchef: The Professionals 2020 competition.

1.    Full name

Ross Fraser Burgess

2.    Nickname

Burge

3.    Age

31

4.    Where are you from / where do you live?

Currently residing in Edinburgh but have plans to move back to Elgin in Moray which is in the North East of Scotland where I'm originally from.

5.    Are you married / in a relationship / do you have children?

I am engaged to my wonderful Fiance Amy Bigmore, we got engaged about 5 days before lockdown, no kids.

6.    What type of a chef are you?

Definitely not the type of chef I feel a lot imagine when they think of a chef. I'm not one who stands shouting and screaming at everyone. I've worked in some fantastic kitchens throughout my career, where it's been quite relaxed and a really happy environment, and for me it makes such a huge difference to morale and people's wellbeing, and I believe that really shows in the food that's produced.

7.    Do you have a favourite type of cuisine?

Asian! Everything from Thai to Japanesse, Vietnamesse to South Korean, I absolutely love it! I'm forever making my own Kimchi and curry pastes, miso pastes etc. I am at my happiest at a Korean BBQ place with a few friends and a couple of beers.

8.    How did you become a chef? (e.g. formal training, apprenticeship, self-taught)

I fell into it really. I intended to become a joiner when I left school but struggled to get an apprentiship so to earn some money I took a job in a kitchen in a little restaurant called Scribbles in my home town of Elgin where they were making fresh pizzas and pasta and feel in love with it. After that I did 3 years at college finishing with a HNC in professional cookery.

9.    Where have you worked?

I Have worked in Scotland, Australia, & New Zealand, have done stages at Tom Kitchin's restaurant The Kitchin in Leith in Edinburgh and at The French Cafe in Auckland, I've worked in Restaurants on Vineyards in Australia and worked on 70m Catermarans in New Zealand, and a fantastic little restaurant in Edinburgh called Forage and Chatter.  

10.    Who are your mentors/role models/people you look up to, in your professional and/or personal life?

I feel my mentors and role models have changed throughout my career.

As my food has developed and I've started to find my own style, I've noticed me starting to follow other chefs.

So I started out following fantastic chefs like Daniel Clifford, Nathan Outlaw and Sat Bains, and although I still love what they do, as my style has devolved I've started feeling more inspired by chefs like Tom Brown and Lorna Mcnee.

11.    What is your guilty pleasure dish (not necessarily cheffy, cheesy baked beans on toast is a perfectly respectable reply!)?

I love a crisp sandwich with a little bit of Marie Rose Sauce haha! Ideal crisp fillings would be ready salted walkers, but even a cheeky pringle goes down a storm!

12.    What is the best thing / worst thing about being a chef?

Best thing is that it's a trade, so you can take with you anywhere, food is everywhere. And it's so exciting to be able to pick up jobs anywhere in the world and just get started straight away.

Worst thing is definitely the work-life balance, it can be a struggle missing out on certain things so you really have to have a love and a passion for it.

13.    How did it feel to step onto the set of MasterChef: The Professionals?

Sounds like a pretty standard answer but it was surreal. I've watched every series of Masterchef: The Professionals, so to actually be there, on set, in the whites, with cameras focused on me, was the craziest thing. But I loved every minute of it and would do it all again at the drop of a hat.

14.    How did 2020 compare you what you thought it would be this time last year?

I don't think anyone could've thought 2020 would be like this, but everything in life is what you make it, I got engaged in 2020, I got on Masterchef in 2020, I've been looking at buying a house, I've been looking at wedding venues, really planning for our future.

I am lucky in that I was able to carry on working full time, so my 2020 has been great compared to what I imagine a lot of others peoples has been.