A WARRINGTON MasterChef star paid a visit to his former high school to surprise students last week – and even made one of his signature dishes for them.

After making it to the final three of MasterChef: The Professionals, Liam Rogers was the talk of Bridgewater High School where he was a former pupil.

Before Christmas the food technology students had followed Liam’s progress on the show, so the school’s head of food technology, Stephanie Callaway, decided to surprise them with a visit from the finalist.

The 25-year-old returned to the Appleton school on Wednesday where he spent time with the year 11 students.

In the session he created his mackerel and beetroot dish which he cooked on one of the BBC episodes.

Tim Long, the schools principal, with Liam

Tim Long, the school's principal, with Liam

 

Liam, who is now a sous chef at the famous Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland, went through the various processes and showed the students different skills such as how to fillet a fresh fish, cure fish, blow torch as well as knife skills.

There was than a Q&A where the food technology students asked Liam all about his time on the show and his future career plans.

Stephanie said: “The students were very invested in him

“They are still talking about his visit to me days later in school.”

The pupils have a three-hour practical exam in four weeks so being able to meet Liam who was once in the same position as them was ‘inspiring'.

“We are very proud of Liam and everything he has achieved in his career so far – as well as appearing on MasterChef: The Professionals,” Stephanie added.

“He is flying, and really championing our subject!

"We are sure he has many great things to come.”

After leaving the Appleton school, Liam went to the acclaimed Warrington and Vale Royal College to study catering and hospitality where he got the best marks in the college for his level three course.

But his association with food goes back much further.

Liam's passion for cooking was inspired by his dad who helped him out from a young age at Tom at 101, the much loved Stockton Heath restaurant, which his dad used to run.

Before the MasterChef: The Professionals final, Liam told the Warrington Guardian: “Now I have the exposure of being on TV, you get a lot more people wanting to eat your own food.

“That is why I am going to try and do pop-ups and little private events and food festivals – something I have never done before but that excites me.”

 

Liam made the students one of his signature dishes

Liam made the students one of his signature dishes