Final four - MasterChef: The Professionals 2017, Steven Lickley

Tonight marks the beginning of finals week for MasterChef: The Professionals 2017. 

• Who are the other MasterChef: The Professionals 2017 finalists?
• Who were the MasterChef: The Professionals 2016 finalists?

One of the four hopefuls looking to impress veteran judges Monica Galetti and Marcus Wareing and take home the crown is Steven Lickley. 

Find out more about the sous chef from Vacherin corporate fine dining in London:

Name: Steven Lickley

Region: Works in London, lives in Bedford, originally from Sale

Age: 26

Profession: Sous chef in corporate fine dining

Place of work: Vacherin

Personal: In a relationship with Emma – met at Work. Mum, dad and brother all live in Manchester

Twitter: @StevenLickley

Instagram: @slickley99

Cooking Background

“I first became interested in food when I was at school as it was my favourite subject and it was something I had a real passion for so I decided to go with it and give it my all.

I studied Catering & Hospitality at Bury College and then started cooking professionally at 19 when I moved to Yorkshire, working in a few restaurants around Yorkshire and The Dales, and then finally moved down to London in 2013 where I have now settled down. I currently work for Vacherin incorporate fine dining as a sous chef.”

Influences

“Cooking didn’t really run in family, but there was always the usual stuff like baking every now and again with my nana. It was just something that I grew a passion for and enjoyed doing. In my earlier days I was inspired by Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsay and these days I’m influenced by chefs such as Dan Barber, Magnis Nealson, Tommy Banks, Massimo Bottura and Nathan Outlaw who have some really fresh, modern ideas.”

Food Passions

“I enjoy all areas of cooking. There is not one specific area for me. I enjoy the whole process from start to finish with cooking, from creating dishes, the planning process, to cooking and plating.”

On MasterChef: The Professionals

“My girlfriend pushed me to go for the competition, so I owe a lot to her. To have someone so confident in your ability and help you to see it for yourself, is a very special thing and I am very lucky to have her. She has been with me every step of the way. I also naturally wanted to better myself and see how well I could do throughout the process as well as hopefully learn a lot.

“For me, the hardest test has been the critics' challenge in the quarter finals. Getting two courses, so eight plates of food, created and served in an hour and 15 mins for some of the UK’s toughest food critics was so intense and something I wouldn’t like to do again in a hurry! Becoming a finalist feels amazing. It is the pinnacle of my career so far, and what an achievement it is. It’s been a hard process and I don’t want this momentum to now stop, and hopefully, I can move onto to big things after the competition. I am very proud of myself.”

Cooking ambitions

“I’ve just moved to a new client site in London - based at global shipping company - as the sous chef where I run the fine dining department. I’m planning for the future so am keeping my head down and working very hard so that I can achieve my dreams – maybe to one day open a restaurant with my partner, who is a catering manager. Together we have both Back and Front of House experience.

“Ultimately, I want to share my passion for cooking with others, so who knows what platforms that could be through! I am looking forward to the future!”

MasterChef: The Professionals 2017 – The Final Week, starts tonight, continues Wednesday 21st and concludes Thursday 22nd December, 8pm on BBC Two