Who is Tom Kitchin and what restaurants does the chef own?
TOM Kitchin was the youngest chef in the WORLD to earn a Michelin star at the age of just 29.
Now the talented Scot is starring on series 19 of MasterChef as a guest judge, with the contestants trying to impress him with their culinary creations.
Who is Tom Kitchin? What's his background?
42-year-old Tom was born in Edinburgh and educated at a boarding school called Dollar Academy.
After leaving school, he studied catering at Perth College - before bagging an apprenticeship at the prestigious Gleneagles Hotel, in Perth and Kinross.
The dad-of-four went on to work at several three-Michelin starred restaurants including La Tante Claire, in London, under Pierre Koffman; Guy Savoy, in Paris, under the chef of the same name; and Michelin Le Louis XV restaurant, in Monte Carlo, under Alain Ducasse.
In June 2012, he received an Honorary Doctorate of Arts degree from Edinburgh Napier University for his contribution to Scottish Food Culture.
Tom is married to business partner and wife Michaela Kitchin and they have four sons together - Kasper, Axel and twins Lachlan and Logan.
What what restaurants does Tom Kitchen own?
At the age of 29, Tom was awarded his first Michelin star - just six months after opening his signature restaurant The Kitchin, in Leith.
It's now considered one of the finest places to eat in Scotland.
Tom runs the kitchen with his restaurant manager wife Michaela, who has worked at The Savoy London and Dubai's Burj Al Arab, the only seven star hotel in the world.
In July 2010, Tom opened his second restaurant - Castle Terrace, near Edinburgh Castle - with chef Dominic Jack.
Tom and Jack also opened The Scran & Scallie - a family friendly pub-restaurant in Stockbridge.
He then launched his fourth restaurant, Southside Scran, in Edinburgh in November 2018, followed by a fifth - a 14-room hotel and restaurant called Bonnie Badger, on Scotland’s east coast.
Tom has created various cookbooks - including From Nature to Plate: Seasonal Recipes from The Kitchin, Kitchin Suppers and Tom Kitchin's Fish & Shellfish.
What other TV shows has Tom Kitchin been on?
Tom has appeared on previous series of MasterChef and is back as a guest judge for series 19 of the BBC show, alongside regulars Gregg Wallace and John Torode.
The chef has also made appearances on popular cooking programmes such as Saturday Kitchen, Great British Menu, The Chef's Protege - as well as Mary Berry's Delicious Moments.