WE spoke to Warrington’s MasterChef: The Professionals star a year on from his appearance on the show.

Last year, Liam Rogers made it to the finals of the BBC One cooking programme after being described as a ‘star starting to pop out’ by judge Monica Galetti.

And since then, it has been a busy year for the former Bridgewater High School pupil who has been able to showcase his food far and wide.

The 26-year-old said: “Going on MasterChef was important for me because I wanted to see how far I’d come in my culinary career.

“I wanted to showcase what I’d learned and prove to myself that the long days and determination had paid off.

“Life has been great since I featured on MasterChef.

“Many great things have come from it - meeting lots of new people, cooking at some amazing venues and destinations all over the world, and being able to showcase my food to a much wider audience.”

Warrington Guardian: (Image: BBC/Shine TV) (Image: BBC/Shine TV)

And alongside these achievements, he was also crowned Young Chef of the Year at the Chaine des Rotisseurs GB Young Professional Awards earlier this year.

In a year full of highs for Liam, who is currently a sous chef at The Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland, a highlight for him was cooking at the Carbis Bay Hotel and Estate in St Ives with fellow MasterChef finalists Aaron and Dan

Another highlight for the talented chef was flying out to Vancouver to cook dinner at the five-star Paradox Hotel.

“My next upcoming plan is a new job down in England,” added Liam.

“It’s a massive opportunity for me to cook great food a little closer to home.”

As this year’s MasterChef: The Professionals is under way, we asked Liam, who used to help his dad out at Tom at 101, what his advice would be for this year’s contestants.

“It would be to practice, practice, and practice.

“It’s a tough gig but doing well in a competition like this can lead to great things.”

And for those who are thinking of applying to the show, he said: “Make sure you have a place to practice and a great mentor to give you feedback and constructive criticism.”

You can watch the show on BBC One every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evening.