A CHEF from the Borders has made it to the final of a prestigious cooking competition after impressing celebrity judges with his culinary skills.

Michael Cruickshank, who grew up in Newtown, will join five other talented young chefs from some of the country’s finest eateries in the Roux Scholarship National Final on Monday, April 1.

The winner of the scholarship, founded by chefs Albert and Michel Roux in 1984, will receive training in a three-star Michelin restaurant.

The Roux Scholarship, which funds all expenses, also provides the winner with the opportunity to travel across the world and a £6,000 bursary for professional development.

Michael, who previously made the final of the competition in 2017, currently works at the Michelin-starred restaurant Bohemia, in Jersey.

Having come so close two years ago, he is looking to go one better this year.

He told The Border Telegraph: “After getting to the final in 2017, I see getting to the final is the minimum level I want to aim for.

“It’s been a crazy couple of weeks with a mixture of nerves and excitement.

“I had loads of help from my head chef, who gave me time to practise and take time out to come here today.

“As Michel Roux Jr said, you can’t do it without people helping you.”

Michael made it to the final after wowing the judges with his interpretation of the competition brief, with a recipe utilising roasted hogget loin with hogget kidneys in a haggis-inspired faggot.

The judges at the regional final, held in London, were impressed by the levels of creativity, technical skill and knowledge displayed by the chefs.

Renowned chef Michael Roux Jr, one of the judges who sent Michael through to the national final, described the “amazing standard” on display. He said: “Every year it just gets better and better; the correctness of the cooking and the seasoning was beyond reproach.”

Previous winners have gone on to earn multiple Michelin stars and international acclaim.

Andrew Fairlie, who died earlier this year, won the inaugural scholarship before opening the only Scottish restaurant to receive two Michelin stars.

He previously spoke of the scholarship’s impact on his career, saying: “When I was encouraged by my chef Keith Podmore to enter this new competition that the Roux brothers had started back in 1984, I had no idea the huge influence the scholarship would have on my career and life.

“I can honestly say that I would not have been as successful if I had not won the scholarship and all the support it has given me over the years.”