A COTSWOLD chef has made it to the semi-finals of Masterchef: The Professionals.

Tom Moody, a sous chef at the Cotswold hotel, The Slaughters Manor House, near Bourton on the Water, is appearing on the BBC One series to showcase his culinary flair.

He impressed the judges in the quarter finals (aired yesterday) with the flavours in his dish: a fillet of rose veal with sweatbread topped with crispy yeast, cauliflower (roasted, pickled and a puree with yeast), pickled and salted blackcurrants, choi sum and parsley oil, served with a madeira sauce. The judges were however critical of his presentation.

He is now down to the final twelve candidates hoping to win the MasterChef trophy. Cotswold residents can cheer Tom on in next Tuesday's 8pm episode of Masterchef: The Professionals.

BBC media editor and established restaurant critic Amol Rajan said: “The basic task at this level of MasterChef is you’ve got to show that can do something a bit special. I think Tom has done that in style.”

Tom’s success on Masterchef: The Professionals follows another impressive competition performance last year, when he reached the regional finals of the prestigious Roux Scholarship 2016.

For those who would like to taste Tom’s cooking for themselves, a festive dining menu is on offer at The Slaughter’s Manor House every day for lunch and dinner until December 23.