Master chef Oliver impresses judges

A Fylde coast chef who found his love of cooking while washing dishes landed a place on one of Britain's best known culinary shows.

By The Newsroom

Published 7th Dec 2018, 15:24 BST

Updated 7th Dec 2018, 16:30 BST

Oliver Martin, 30, from Ansdell, earned a place on BBC Two’s MasterChef: The Professionals, where he impressed the judges with his unique dishes made with seasonal, foraged ingredients.

The dad-of-one’s cooking career began in the kitchen of the now-closed Chicory restaurant in Lytham when he was just 14. He now works as a head chef at the Hipping Hall hotel in Kirkby Lonsdale.

He said: “I got a real passion for working in the kitchen and I knew it was what I wanted to do.

“The judges were really supportive and they want to see the next talent that’s coming through in the kitchen. It’s not every day that you get to work with such reknowned chefs and get different feedback.

“I think it’s definitely something that you enter to push yourself and test your skills, especially against other chefs. I found it very rewarding.”

See Oliver in MasterChef: The Professionals tomorrow at 8pm on BBC Two.