MARCUS WAREING is one of the world's leading chefs who started out as a protégé of Gordon Ramsay.
Fans have enjoyed the straight-talking food supremo as he continues in his role as a judge on MasterChef: The Professionals.
Who is Marcus Wareing?
Marcus was born in Southport, Merseyside, in 1970.
The aspiring chef started working in the food industry when he was just 11, packing potatoes and helping his dad with deliveries.
Marcus was paid just 10p for every 5lb (2.3kg) bag of potatoes packed, and he credits his dad's long hours with inspiring his own work ethic.
The teen was the only boy in his home economics class at Stanley High School and went on to study catering at Southport College.
Which famous chefs has Marcus Wareing worked with?
Marcus has worked in New York City, Amsterdam and Gravetye Manor, in Sussex, among other stylish locations.
Marcus was first employed as a commis chef at the Savoy Hotel, under Anton Endelmann, when he was just 18 years old.
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He then left to work with Albert Roux at the Michelin starred Le Gavroche, where he first met Gordon Ramsay.
Ramsay was the best man at Marcus' wedding in 2000, and is the godfather of his eldest son Jake.
Marcus joined Ramsay's Aubergine when it opened in 1993 and soon became his sous chef and protégé – working with the notoriously angry chef for 15 years.
The judge credits Ramsay with teaching him to cook – describing his time at Aubergine as "the most important time in my life".
Marcus' first head chef job was at L'Oranger, a joint venture in which both he and Ramsay held stakes.
When he was just 25, Marcus earned his first Michelin star at L'Oranger.
After a fall-out between A-Z Restaurants, Marcus and Ramsay saw both chefs quit L'Oranger – and the Hell's Kitchen judge went on to open Restaurant Gordon Ramsay.
In 1999 Ramsay's group opened Petrus, where Marcus worked as the head chef.
Seven months after opening, the restaurant gained a Michelin star.
The restaurant moved to the Berkeley Hotel in 2003, replacing Pierre Koffman's La Tante Claire.
In the same year, Marcus became Chef Patron of the Grill Room at the Savoy, competing against his former boss Anton Endelmann.
Petrus went on to be awarded two Michelin stars and five AA Rosettes, while the Savoy Grill got its first star in the hotel's history under Marcus.
Why did Marcus Wareing and Gordon Ramsay fall out?
A bitter dispute erupted when Berkeley Hotel bosses confirmed they were going to launch Marcus' first solo restaurant as the chef attempted to come out of Ramsay's shadow.
He was due to take Pétrus' lease on.
However, Ramsay won the rights to Pétrus' name and Marcus signed a gagging order over the dispute.
At the time, Marcus told Waitrose Food Illustrated: "Half of me thinks he's [Ramsay] a sad b****** and the other half still adores him."
What other TV shows has he been on?
Marcus appeared in Channel 4 documentary Boiling Point in 1998, during his time as Ramsay's sous chef.
He was one of 13 chefs chosen to recreate Leonardo da Vinci's painting The Last Supper in 2003.
He represented the north of England in the BBC's Great British Menu in 2006.
Marcus later returned to Great British Menu as a judge, and criticised rival show MasterChef – claiming it encouraged young chefs to chase TV fame and become lazy in the kitchen.
But he ate his words when he joined MasterChef: The Professionals as a judge, alongside Monica Galetti, in 2014.
Marcus replaced Michel Roux Jr, whose BBC contract was terminated for advertising potatoes.
Marcus has also advised film stars Bradley Cooper and Sienna Miller on set for the movie Burnt.
He has seven cookbooks, including Marcus at Home, New Classics and Marcus Everyday.
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