A FORMER apprentice of a chef in Lane End has been crowned the winner of a prestigious TV cookery award.

Steven Edwards said it felt 'surreal' at being named the winner of MasterChef: The Professionals on Thursday.

But his former boss Mike Day, the Head Chef at the Lane End Conference Centre, said he never had any doubts the 27-year-old would go on to achieve the feat.

Mr Edwards originally trained under Mr Day at the Burnham Beeches Hotel in Windsor as a 17-year-old and it gave him the background to test his culinary skills to the max on the popular BBC show.

Mr Day said: “Steven’s enthusiasm and passion for cooking was palpable right from the beginning of his career.

“He was incredibly dedicated and even at 17 showed a raw talent for creating delicious, great looking dishes.      

“I know Steven has had previous success when he won Young Chef of the Year in 2010 but to take the overall MasterChef: The Professionals title takes exceptional talent - I am absolutely thrilled for him.”   

Run over the past five weeks, MasterChef: The Professionals culminated in Thursday night’s final where the three remaining chefs were tasked with preparing a three-course meal for the judges.  

Mr Edwards's winning menu consisted of an Anjou pigeon breast starter, pan-fried stone bass fillet main and intricate honey cake and honeycomb dessert.    

He said after winning: “It feels so surreal - I don’t know what to say, apart from thank you.

"I’m exceptionally happy, I can’t believe it, this is what dreams are made of. I don’t know how to describe how I’m feeling, it means so much. These kinds of things don’t seem to happen to me, it just feels unbelievable.”