Steve Groves has been crowned the winner of super-tough cooking battle 'MasterChef: The Professionals' 2009.
The 28-year-old said he was once close to giving up being a chef altogether, but the death of his father David inspired him to pursue his passion.
The junior sous chef at Launceston Place in Kensington, west London, now has his sights set on a restaurant of his own, cooking the best of British food.
As the heat was turned up in the final week, Groves, alongside finalists Marianne Lumb and Daniel Graham, had to take on a series of challenges.
They included cooking a Michelin-starred level high tea at Sketch for a selection of the world's greatest pastry chefs, including master patissier Michel Roux.
The hopefuls also created a course each at Chelsea football club for 16 sporting VIPs, including double gold Olympic rower James Cracknell and England cricket star Kevin Pietersen - but the pressure nearly boiled over when a fire alarm went off.
The finalists also prepared a Michelin standard course each for more than 30 Michelin-starred chefs.
Groves's title was awarded by the BBC2 show's judges, double Michelin-starred chef Michel Roux Jr and food writer Gregg Wallace last night.
He said: "To win this competition is amazing, having the chance to cook for Michel Roux Jr was what it was all about.
"Now I want to concentrate on becoming the best chef that I can be and then open a restaurant of my own cooking British food."
