SOUS chef Dean Westcar conquered his nerves when winning through the group stages of BBC1's Masterchef: The Professionals this week.

The 25-year-old, of Flowers Yard, Chippenham, was picked to go through on Tuesday night. Mr Westcar, who works at Lucknam Park Hotel in Colerne, will be up against seven others in the quarter-finals. He said: "I am looking forward to it and nervous as well but just have to take it as it comes. I am going to try my hardest."

Mr Westcar, who is originally from Pretoria, South Africa, and moved to England in 2004, worked at the Manor House in Castle Combe for three years.

He said: “Both of the judges are scary but Marcus (Wareing) is the scariest."

Mr Westcar was accepted on to the show after applying online, doing preliminary rounds, camera testing and interviewed about his passion for food.