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A Leeds executive head chef at Bowcliffe Hall is sharpening his knives and skills for Masterchef: The Professionals – appearing on the show tonight.

Darren Collinson has been an executive chef for the past sixteen years at a number of Leeds restaurants. He will now be taking part in Masterchef: The Professionals, hoping to take home the trophy.

Darren said he is looking forward to the challenge. He added: “I have watched every series of MasterChef since I was a child – also watching Lloyd Grossman. I wanted to challenge myself and the modern series of MasterChef: The Professionals is inspirational to watch.”

Masterchef: the Professionals returned to BBC One this November for its 15th season with 32 chefs across the country competing to be the 2022 champion. Each week for a consecutive six weeks, chefs will compete in the heats with the aim of making it to that week’s quarter final.

Darren is from Wetherby and will be seen on Masterchef: The Professional on Wednesday November 9.

The 42-year-old will go against three chefs for one of two quarter final places in the debut challenge – a skills test designed by the judges Anna Haugh and Marcus Wareing. Here, the judges will demonstrate their dish for the viewers at home and the chefs must produce their own take on the dish within time limits. Such dishes the judges have made include oysters poached and smoked in a beurre blanc or summer fruit tart, with a jam, crème patissière and Italian meringue.

The chefs must then create a signature menu with a main course and dessert within an hour and 25 minutes.

Darren said: “My style of cooking is modern British. I get inspiration from a range of other chefs and from the ingredients available around me, particularly those grown in the kitchen garden.”

In the quarter finals for that week, the two chefs will take an invention test where the judges will ask the chefs to create a dish based around a theme such as brunch, textures and taste.

Darren competing in Masterchef: The Professionals (S15, Heat 4). Credit: BBC/Shine TV

The winning chefs will then take on the challenges set in the semi finals and later, the finals in which the chefs will produce a three-course menu for the judges.

MasterChef: The Professionals airs on BBC One at 8pm and will be available on iPlayer.

MasterChef: The Professionals 2022: Leeds head chef at Wetherby's Bowcliffe Hall to appear on BBC One show