Winchester Chef Luke Emmess Reaches National Final of MasterChef: The Professionals

Winchester chef Luke Emmess, Head Chef at The Wykeham Arms, has secured his place in tonights national final of MasterChef: The Professionals, where the final three chefs will go head-to-head for one of the UK’s most prestigious culinary titles.

Luke’s journey to the final has been defined by ambition, creativity and a relentless pursuit of perfection, with a series of standout performances impressing judges and industry experts alike.

Following a highly successful Chef’s Table at The Goring, where he cooked for 23 of the UK’s most respected chefs, Luke delivered an ambitious hogget dish that was described as “fresh and vibrant”, “a joy to eat” and “a masterful main course.” Reflecting on the moment, Luke said, “I gave it my best shot – the dish was a triumph.”

The competition then took a dramatic turn as the final three chefs travelled to Italy to cook at the world-renowned Atelier Moessmer, led by three Michelin-starred chef Norbert Niederkofler. Immersed in Niederkofler’s celebrated “cook the mountain” philosophy, Luke embraced a new level of precision and sustainability, working with hyper-seasonal ingredients and zero-waste techniques.

After mastering complex dishes including a zero-waste white fish tartare and beetroot gnocchi, Luke created a dish inspired by a forest floor, A trio of mushrooms with lentils, honey and pine cone glaze, topped with shavings and served with a creamy leek and white wine sauce. Norbert praised Luke’s cooking, saying, “I like the dish a lot. The chefs really understood the philosophy of cooking the mountain.”
Luke commented, “It was great to spend such quality time with an amazing chef.”

Then followed a full-service day in the three Michelin-starred kitchen, where Luke delivered under intense pressure, a world away from his Winchester base. “It’s a long way from my pub kitchen,” he said.

Responsible for key dishes including a technically complex risotto infused with pine flavours, Luke impressed both the brigade and judges. Matt Tebbutt described the dish as:
“Like no risotto I’ve ever eaten…” and Chef Norbert adding, “You’ve done a great job — would you like to join the brigade?”

Luke, reflecting on his experience said, “Norbert is a culinary genius, and hopefully I will put a bit of what I have learnt into my cooking.”

Now firmly established as one of the competition’s standout chefs, Luke has secured his place in the final three. Reacting to the news, he said, “To be in the final three is incredible. They are telling me that I am good, so I must be good.”

He now goes head-to-head with the remaining finalists for the ultimate accolade, representing Winchester, Fuller’s and The Wykeham Arms on the national stage.