"Watch this space," says Doncaster MasterChef star after appearing on BBC cookery contest

29-year-old Beth Hipwell took part in heat two of the latest series of MasterChef: The Professionals, the BBC show which pits Britain’s best chefs against each other in the ultimate cookery contest, with the episode aired last night.

WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS

Looking to land a place in the quarter finals, Beth, who works as a senior sous chef at Michelin-star rated Hambleton Hall in Rutland, took part in a skills test showcasing her cookery talents – and then had 90 minutes to serve up a two course meal for judges Gregg Wallace, Monica Galetti and Marcus Wareing, going up against three other professional chefs from around the country.

Sadly, Beth missed out on the quarter finals and exited the competition, with fellow hopefuls Gareth and Rohit progessing at her expense.

Writing on social media following the show’s broadcast, she said: “I’d just like to say a massive thank you to everyone.

“I did not expect such a massive response and support – I didn’t realise I knew so many people.

“If you watched the episode last night, you will know by now unfortunately I was knocked out in this heat.

“To say the nerves got the better of me is an absolute understatement.

"Those who know me can see how uneasy I look the whole time.

"I knew before the judges tried my dishes that it was not my best and it wasn’t my day in the kitchen, at all.

“I pushed myself out of my comfort zone and unfortunately this time it didn’t pay off.

“It definitely knocked my confidence but fortunately I have amazing family, friends and place of work that have pushed me to keep going, and the support I have received this week has definitely helped as well.

“So like I said at the end of the show.it’s only a stepping stone in my career, watch this space!”

In the first round, she was asked to come up with a dish of popcorn clams and mussel fritter, served with a Bloody Mary mayonnaise.

Given just 20 minutes to serve, she was criticised for cooling down her seafood in cold water by judge Marcus, saying she had washed delicate flavours away.

She told viewers: “I made a mistake washing the mussels – I don’t know why, I’ve never done that.”

In the next round, she had just one and a half hours to serve up her signature dishes – and opted for a poached lobster tail, served with cannelloni of courgette, stuffed with scallop and lobster claw mousse and finished with a lobster bisque, followed by a dessert of passion fruit and chocolate cremeux, encased by a passion fruit feuille topped with caramelised bananas and hazelnuts topped with a hazelnut tuile.

Judge Gregg praised Beth for her “clever cooking” – but Marcus criticised the main for the lobster breaking up saying: “It has potential, but the execution let it down.”

The dessert also came under fire, with Monica describing the passion fruit as “overpowering” and “too much” while Marcus said the dish was “too dense and heavy.”

After their verdicts, Beth told viewers: “I am proud of my dishes, I could have tweaked them – the pressure got to me.”

The senior sous chef grew up in Doncaster as the middle child of four.

She noticed her mum’s love for cooking shows and cookbooks from a young age and now lives in Rutland with her partner Ruth, who she met whilst working at the same hotel.

At the age of 14, Beth did work experience in a kitchen through her school and after completing her GCSEs she went to catering college.

She started her culinary career at Bluebells in Ascot, then moved onto an AA 3-Rosette hotel before moving to the Michelin-starred Hambleton Hall, where she has worked since 2015.

Talking of her inspirations to become a chef, she said: “My grandma owned a pub, which my mum grew up in. They both had this love for food and pleasing people. Although my mum is not a great cook, she and my grandma made me want to go into it as a career.

"As soon as I started cooking it was like a flame in my stomach.”

“My style of food is flavoursome. I love to celebrate ingredients and make them the best and most exciting they can be.

"I have worked in a Michelin-starred kitchen for over eight years now - starting in pastry and working through every section. I feel that, although I’m a young chef, I’m well-rounded and my food style reflects this.”

So why did she want to take part in MasterChef: The Professionals?

“I’m at a point in my career, where I’m thinking, ‘what’s next?’ and MasterChef seems like an exciting way to open new doors,” she said.

"My mum has begged me every year for as long as I can remember to enter the competition. My plan was to keep it a secret from her and surprise her when it goes out on television, but I just couldn’t keep it in so she knows I’ve made it to the show!

"She’s been with me every step of the way along my cooking career and is proud of me for putting myself out there.”

“I’m a massive family person. Visiting home back in Doncaster and spending time with my nieces and nephews and catching up with friends is what brings me the most joy. Of course, I also love eating out and finding new places with good food.”