Pierce Maher (34) is from Wexford and is married with one son, also called Pierce and aged 7. He has just moved home after 10 years in South Africa, so is currently unemployed, but has worked in wine sales for the past 12 years.

Pierce is mostly self-taught, but takes a lot of inspiration from his father who is also a keen cook. They both share a particular love of seafood. He first fell in love with food when he tasted Black (Dover) Sole at the age of 12.

He got into the audition stage with his Cider-braised Pork Belly, black pudding calvados sauce and wild garlic polenta. His audition dish was Pan-fried turbot fillet with cockles, Samphire and Dublin Bay Prawn Bisque.