Luke Emmess of The Wykeham Arms in Winchester reaches Knock Out Week in MasterChef – The Professionals
Luke Emmess, the Head Chef of The Wykeham Arms in Winchester has made it through to Knock Out Week in the BBC TV show MasterChef – The Professionals. Luke, who has been at The Wykeham for the last six years, is already cooking up a storm on the show with his two-course menu earning high praise from the critics in the dining room, as well as judges Marcus Wareing and Monica Galetti.
Having sailed through the first round, Luke created an outstanding dish with his king prawns in the invention test, showing skill, flair and creativity. He met the next challenge – Critics Table – with an inventive and delicious menu, comprising duck fat confit halibut with crispy potato, gem lettuce and Parma ham ballotine, and a caviar Hollandaise Sauce. This was followed by salted caramel chocolate cremeux, toasted hazelnut, whiskey oranges, bourbon cream and wasabi rocket. His winning flavour combinations clearly had a positive impact on both the critics and the judges.
Luke is back in the MasterChef kitchen for Knock Out week, which starts on 9 March, and all Luke’s friends and colleagues at The Wykeham Arms, will be keeping everything crossed for further success in the competition.
Luke Emmess said: “I’ve always watched MasterChef – The Professionals and wondered if I should give it a go myself. I love seeing the delight on people’s faces when they eat a dish that blows them away, and to see the reaction from the critics and from Marcus and Monica was just amazing.
"I knew I wanted to be a chef from a really early age and – right from my first days studying at South Downs College in Hampshire – I’ve loved every minute of it. I get such a thrill from creating and delivering dishes which delight my customers. For over a decade, I’ve worked for Fuller’s – who gave me my first head chef position at The Still & West in Old Portsmouth – and they have provided a great framework for me to develop my skills. And since joining the team at The Wykeham Arms in 2020, working with General Manager Jon Howard, things have just got better and better.
I’ve always balanced my career as a chef with being a father to four children – and the support from my wife and family has been superb. I’ve also been lucky, working at The Wykeham, that they’ve given me the space to follow my dream. I hope that seeing me on the show inspires the next generation of chefs – and encourages lots of new diners to come to The Wykeham and try my dishes for themselves. I particularly recommend coming to one of our tasting dinners – even if I say so myself, it’s a culinary delight for discerning diners."
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The Wykeham Arms
75 Kingsgate Street, Winchester, SO23 9PE
Tel: 01962 853834
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.wykehamarmswinchester.co.uk
For further information, please contact the press office:
Georgina Wald 020 8996 2198 [email protected]
Alice Monteath 020 8996 2074 [email protected]
Fuller’s in a nutshell:
Fuller, Smith & Turner PLC is a premium pubs and hotels business. With an outstanding estate of iconic pubs and hotels across the Southern half of England, our purpose is to create experiences that nourish the soul. At our heart is the warm and inviting welcome of a fantastic pub or hotel, delivered by an exceptional team of over 5,000 talented individuals. We have been delighting our customers – with delicious, fresh, seasonal food, an exciting drinks range, and wonderful bedrooms – for over 180 years. Fuller’s has 184 Managed Pubs and Hotels, with 1,011 bedrooms and 153 Tenanted Inns, all aiming to ensure that everyone leaves that little bit happier than they arrived.