FORMER Warrington & Vale Royal College student Liam Rogers has made it through to the semi-final of popular BBC cooking show MasterChef: The Professionals.
The talented chef who grew up in Warrington, has always had a passion for cooking and has worked in the industry for many years.
Liam has always been focused on becoming a professional chef, saying: “There is no other job I would have considered. I’ve wanted to cook since I was very young.”
The former Bridgewater High School student first became interested in cooking as a child, when he would visit his Executive Chef father at his workplace- the Park Royal Hotel in Warrington. Liam then went on to work at popular Stockton Heath restaurant Tom at 101, which was opened by his father following his time at the Park Royal Hotel.
Liam decided to follow his passion for cooking by enrolling at Warrington & Vale Royal College to study Level 3 Hospitality & Catering, an experience he describes as “incredible”. Liam says: “I really enjoyed my time at college. My classmates and I treated cooking like a friendly competition and always tried to do our best. Through college I even had the opportunity to gain cooking experience in the South of France.”
Since completing his course, Liam has since gone on to work in Michelin-starred restaurants including Restaurant Sat Bains in Nottingham and Restaurant Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles Hotel, Scotland. The latter is the only restaurant in Scotland to have been awarded two Michelin stars.
Liam first decided to enter MasterChef: The Professionals as he wanted to really push himself and take on a new challenge. He says: “The show was super intense, I had to be really focussed and try to impress the judges.” He was encouraged to enter the competition by the Head Chef at Restaurant Sat Bains, who helped him perfect his pastry skills prior to the show. Liam’s talent for cooking has been evident throughout the competition, with the expert judges being greatly impressed by his technique and presentation. Liam says his highlight of the competition was the fantastic feedback he received from the critics about his lamb and mackerel dishes.
Warrington & Vale Royal College Hospitality & Catering Tutor Paul Ratcliffe says: “We are extremely proud to have been a part of Liam’s amazing journey. It’s great to see that he is using the skills learned at Warrington & Vale Royal College in such a high-profile and prestigious competition. There is no doubt in my mind that Liam will go on to excel within the industry. He will be a fantastic role model and inspire our future learners.”
Tune into MasterChef tomorrow (Dec 7) to see how Liam does in the semi-final.
