A CHEF has come a step closer to cooking in the best restaurants in the world.

Connor Wilson, 28, of Bardon Mill, is through to the regional finals of the Roux Scholarship competition in London in September.

The winner will get a three-month placement at any Michelin-star restaurant in the world and receive up to £12,000 to support their career development.

Connor, who currently works at The Traddock Hotel, near Settle, said: “I have been waiting for 18 months, so I am really excited, but also very nervous to compete. I think it has been too much of a time gap due to Covid postponing it, so it has lead to some overthinking.”

“I was really disappointed when it was postponed due to Covid, so now that the restrictions are lifted, I’m excited to finally compete and it is just a waiting game to do it now.”

To enter the competition, Connor had to send in a recipe using three items required; fish, clams and leaks with one other item of a chef’s choice. The judges had to choose 18 finalists to then go through to the cooking stage. Connor was the first runner up and was reserve list if anyone dropped out, which someone did, which allowed him the opportunity to go straight to London.

Connor found out about the competition when he came across it on the TV a few years ago and he had hoped that he would be good enough to compete in it one day.

He said: “When I saw it on TV, I just thought to myself that one day I would give it a go. I though the right time was in 2019 and I got through, but then Covid set the whole thing back.”

“I only got into the food industry because I didn’t like school and just wanted to get out. So I found a job as a kitchen porter and just learned the skills from that, as it gave me a lot of opportunities to progress.

“I had a tutor come out from a local college to keep an eye on me and to help with my progress of learning the industry, but all my experience has been practical and in the kitchen.”

Connor has a few signature dishes he likes to create, such as his North Sea crab, cucumber, sea buckthorn and sea vegetables dish, but admits he does not cook at home.

He said: “My partner does all the cooking at home, as I use ‘too many pans’ according to my partner!”

The 28-year-old chef does want to pass on inspiration to others: “Find a good place to learn and ask many questions when you are learning. If you work hard, you will be rewarded.”