MasterChef: The Professionals previous winners from Craig Johnston to Steve Groves – what are the show’s past champions up to now?
WINNING MasterChef: The Professionals opens up all kinds of doors in the culinary world and can kick-start a dream kitchen career.
Here we take a look back at the 11 previous winners of the hit series and find out what happened to them once they had won the coveted title.
2008 - Derek Johnstone
Scot Derek Johnstone was the first ever winner of MasterChef: The Professionals.
He was so admired by then-judge Michel Roux Jr that he offered the chef a job at his two Michelin starred restaurant La Gavroche.
Derek went on to become Sous Chef at Brasserie Roux, in London's five-star Sofitel Hotel, and then Head Chef at Greywalls Hotel & Chez Roux.
In 2014, he left Roux's empire to return to Scotland and work at The Golf Inn, Gullane.
He's now the head chef at the historic Borthwick Castle, in Gorebridge.
2009 - Steve Groves
Michel Roux took on another MasterChef alumni in 2010, a year after Essex lad Steve Groves won the show.
Steve was made the Head Chef at Roux at Parliament Square three years after joining the culinary team, in 2013.
He has two kids, Lottie and Charlie, with his wife Alicia.
2010 - Claire Lara
Claire Lara, from the Wirral, was pregnant when she took part in MasterChef: The Professional but didn't even realise.
She went on to take the crown, making her the first woman to win the programme.
She now works at The Oyster Catcher, in Anglesey, and is a proud mum to two little boys.
2011 - Ash Mair
After winning MasterChef, Tasmanian Ash Mair went on to write a cookbook called My Basque Cuisine.
He worked in a number of different restaurants, before becoming a product developer for brands like Waitrose, Aldi and Morrisons.
2012 - Aston Piotrowski and Keri Moss
The year 2012 saw the first ever joint winners of MasterChef.
One of these victors, Aston Piotrowski, snared the Head Chef job at The Treby Arms, in Plymouth, and went on to win a Michelin star.
He's now opened his own restaurant, called Roski, in Liverpool.
South Londoner Keri Moss shared the crown, and became Executive Chef at The Patch Pub, East Dulwich, in 2013.
She went on to open her own cafe, called Keri's Kitchen, in 2016.
2013 - Steven Edwards
When he won MasterChef, Steven Edwards was working at the Camilla Restaurant in Sussex's five-star South Lodge hotel.
In 2015, he left to set up his own company, called Etch, offering home dining and pop-ups.
Steven opened his first restaurant, under the same name, in Brighton earlier in 2017.
2014 - Jamie Scott
Jamie Scott, from Kirkiston, Scotland, opened his first restaurant with wife Kelly in 2016.
The Newport is in Fife, on the banks of the River Tay, and has been pretty much fully booked since day one.
Just seven weeks after opening, it was awarded two AA Rosettes.
It won Scotland Restaurant of the Year in the Hospitality Awards 2018-19.
Before opening his restuaurant, Jamie was running pop-up events, appearing at food festivals, and being a guest chef all around Scotland.
2015 - Mark Stinchcombe
Mark Stinchcombe is the co-Head Chef at Eckington Manor, in the Cotwolds.
He worked at the country house before joining MasterChef, and has no plans of leaving.
His wife, Sue Stinchcombe, is the other Head Chef leading the Farm to Fork food philosophy.
Eckington Manor has won several awards in recent years, including the 2015 TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence, Visit England 2016 Award for Excellence, and Good Hotel Guide 2018.
2016 - Gary Maclean
Gary Maclean is the Senior Lecturer at City of Glasgow College.
He has now worked at the college, where he learned his trade, for 15 years.
In the past, Gary has worked at some of Glasgow's top restaurants.
He has now become Scotland's first ever National Chef.
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2017 - Craig Johnston
Craig Johnston was the youngest ever winner of MasterChef: The Professionals after scooping the top prize in 2017.
The chef, who comes from Slough and was 21 at the time of filming, cooked a "stunning" three-course meal in the final which bagged him the win.
Since winning the show he has become senior chef de partie at Marcus in London's Belgravia.
When is MasterChef: The Professional final on TV?
MasterChef: The Professionals final is on tonight Thursday (December 20) at 8pm on BBC Two.
The finalists are Laurence, Dean and Oli.
Gregg Wallace, Monica Galetti and Marcus Wareing will be doing the judging.
If you have missed an episode, you can catch up on BBC iPlayer.