MasterChef winner Tom Hamblet to run residencies at two Exclusive Collection hotels

MasterChef: The Professionals 2023 champion Tom Hamblet is to take up residencies at two Exclusive Collection properties next year to celebrate his win.

The 24-year-old was crowned winner of the 16th edition of the BBC series on Friday.

He is currently sous chef at the Camellia restaurant at South Lodge hotel in Sussex, where he will hold his first residency from 3 January to 31 March.

This will be followed by a residency at the Avenue restaurant at Lainston House in Winchester from 3 April to 30 June.

Hamblet will serve an £85, three-course menu featurung dishes inspired by his time on MasterChef: The Professionals. These will include wood pigeon with crispy onions, celeriac rémoulade, celeriac purée, pigeon and chocolate sauce; and a baked chocolate tart, blood orange and peppercorn pate de fruit, caramelised popcorn, orange gel and tallicherry pepper ice-cream.

Hamblet trained at Westminster Kingsway College in London and has spent the past seven years working in Michelin-starred and AA-rosette-winning restaurants.

Both his parents work at South Lodge, where his dad Lewis is executive chef and mum Haley is a pastry chef.

Exclusive Collection managing director Danny Pecorelli told The Caterer: "We have watched Tom grow up and develop into an amazing and talented chef in our kitchens.

"He continues our successes in cooking competitions being South Lodge's second winner of Masterchef: The Professionals."