National Chef of the Year 2017 finalist Kamil Wierzbowski is the sous chef at Petrus working alongside current National Chef of the Year winner, Lahiru Jayasekera who actively inspired him to enter.

Before working at Perus, Kamil was working in Warsaw, Poland where he graduated from culinary college. The Polish chef has entered numerous competition such as winning the International Competition in Paris 2011 and helped out as a pre casting judge of MasterChef Poland in 2013 and 2014.

Are you nervous about cooking live at The Restaurant Show?

No I’m not nervous at all, I’m really excited about it!

What would it mean to you to win?

There’s a lot of skill involved and it’s a big opportunity so that’s why I want to do my best in the final. Obviously it’s nice to win and I am going to win, but what does it mean for me? It I would say it will give me another skill and a sense of achievement.

I want to bring that trophy back to Petrus too!

>>> Read current National Chef of the Year Larry Jayasekera's blog

Who have been your greatest influences?

Larry, my head chef at Petrus definitley. Also my chef from Poland who used to work in London. He was at La Gavroche and the Greenhouse. He was the first chef to show me proper cusine. I worked with him a couple of years ago and he was the first chef to show me there was more to cooking. So he was the first person to change my mind about cooking and I refer to him as my first teacher. 

How do you let your personality come out in your cooking?

That’s a tough question, I don’t really know what to say!

What are your plans for the future, where do you want to be?

Honestly I just want to be a great chef and that’s it. One day I might like my own place but it’s not my dream right now, firstly I want to be a great chef and then I’ll see what happens.

>>> Read more about this year's finalists here

On Tuesday, October 4 a new National Chef of the Year will be crowned. We take a closer look at this year's finalists hoping to produce winning dishes at the final at The Restaurant Show, which will impress the judging panel.