AN up-and-coming chef is one step closer to kitchen glory as he competes with culinary artists for a coveted prize.

A former Trafford College trainee chef will be cooking for the crown after progressing to the quarter-finals in the BBC show MasterChef: The Professionals in this week's episode.

Exose Grant Lopo-Ndinga studied a professional chef NVQ in the training kitchens of Trafford College’s award-winning Aspire restaurant from 2015 to 2016.

The 22-year-old starred in Bake Off: The Professionals earlier this year with fellow student Sanjam Nagpal.

Exose, from Chorlton, said: “I’m so happy I applied to MasterChef: The Professionals. I love new perspectives on my cooking and have been looking forward to seeing it on air. In this competition, I am on my own, so coming up with all the dishes and ideas was such an exciting challenge!”

As well as working at James Martin’s Manchester Casino Restaurant, Exose also runs his own business, Granted Cakes, specialising in weddings and birthdays.

In BBC Two’s MasterChef: The Professionals, six chefs battle it out in each episode under the watchful gaze of lauded chefs.

Exose said: “This is a great opportunity to apply the larder skills of fish and meat prep as well as the pastry skills I’ve learned at College and push beyond these. Although I will wish I’ve got tutors whispering in my ears, this competition will give me independence, and help me find out what kind of chef I can be.”

Catch this week's episode on BBC iPlayer.