MasterChef: The Professionals 2021 finalist Liam Rogers takes on role as sous-chef at The Strathearn, Gleneagles

MasterChef: The Professionals 2021 finalist Liam Rogers has moved from his previous position at two Michelin-starred Restaurant Sat Bains to be a sous-chef at The Strathearn at Gleneagles Hotel

The chef left the Nottingham restaurant in October, prior to the BBC One competition programme being broadcast, which saw him reach the finals alongside Aaron Middleton and winner Dan Lee.

In an interview with The Staff Canteen, Liam said: “I moved up here for a busy Christmas period and since the new year we’ve been developing new menus.”

He made the decision to move as it felt like the right time, he explained: “I had been at Sat’s for three years, so I had done most of the sections and I took from there what I wanted to do. I think he agreed that it was the right time to move too.”

The chef is planning on spending the next year at The Strathearn to get a better grasp of operations and the business-side of running a restaurant and to learn more about health and safety, allergens, menu development and the likes.

“After that, we’ll see what happens,” he said. 

While taking part in MasterChef: The Professionals 2021 has opened many opportunities for the chef, he added, “it’s just a case of finding the right one for me. I’m not rushing into anything or trying to do too much at once.” He had considered taking a year out of restaurants to host private dining events, but he has found it possible to do so whilst working at The Strathearn, and felt it wise to take on a permanent position before Christmas, when the coronavirus was a threat to job security in the industry.

At the end of the year, the chef plans on exploring other opportunities, potentially looking to move abroad.