Who is chef Charlie Walters MasterChef: The Professionals 2023 finalist?

Ahead of MasterChef: The Professionals 2023, which airs on BBC One and BBC iPlayer from Monday 23 October, we find out more about the chefs taking part.

Introducing Charlie Walters, Head Chef at The Sardine Factory, Looe.

Charlie is 22 and started working in kitchens aged 14. He has worked in restaurants across Devon and Cornwall for the last eight years and now lives in Liskeard with his wife, Leah.

Name

Charlie Walters

AGE

22

Where are you from/where do you live

Liskeard, Cornwall

CURRENT AND PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE

Charlie trained at Cornwall College and then went on to work at places such as The Elephant and The Mariners by Paul Ainsworth. He now works at The Sardine Factory in Looe.

HOW DID YOU GET INTO COOKING AND WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT IT?

“When I was younger I did a lot of baking with my mum on weekends, but I always wanted to be a policeman growing up. It all snowballed from my first KP (Kitchen Porter) job at 14. I fell in love with it straight away. I remember my parents picking me up from shifts that finished at 1am and then dropping me back off in the morning. It didn’t put me off!”

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR STYLE OF COOKING AND ANY INFLUENCES ON IT?

“I worked in a Michelin star kitchen for six months and that’s where I really started to develop my skills. In terms of my style of food it’s hard to tell and I’m still learning. I love dishes that are simple but cooked perfectly. Working in a fish restaurant for the last two years has also really inspired me. Cooking a main ingredient beautifully and then executing the garnish is so important.”

WHY DID YOU WANT TO TAKE PART IN MASTERCHEF: THE PROFESSIONALS?

“I’m really ambitious and have lots of big plans for the future. I’d love my own restaurant as part of a boutique hotel and farm, where everything is grown and cooked on-site. Doing a huge competition like this allows me to test myself against other chefs and hopefully gets me closer to making these big plans a reality.”

OUTSIDE OF COOKING WHAT ARE YOUR PASSIONS?

“I am quite competitive generally and love doing things like Go Karting on weekends. My wife is our Front of House manager at the same restaurant, so we spend a lot of time together. Although extra quality time on days off don’t go amiss.”