Meet the Portsmouth chef taking on MasterChef: The Professionals on BBC
‘It is really nice to be part of the MasterChef institution’
When MasterChef: The Professionals begins its new series next week a Portsmouth chef will be in the line-up.
Jack Sencherey-Evans’ career has seen him work in some of the city’s most popular restaurants before honing his craft at Michelin star eateries in London and Copenhagen. The 37-year-old’s latest challenge will see him pitted against 23 of the best chefs from around the country as he competes in MasterChef: The Professionals on BBC.
The opportunity came about while working at Natty’s Jerk on Commercial Road.
Jack said: “I was working at Natty’s as head of food at the time and they nominated me for the show, I didn’t know it had happened. MasterChef got in contact and I had a cook-off and made it through out of about 6,000 chefs.
“It was really cool to be a part of the show, I grew up watching it, so to get on it was pretty remarkable. It was an unbelievable experience. It is a massive thing and really nice to be part of that MasterChef institution.”
Having started at Relentless when it was based in Elm Grove, Jack has gone full circle and returned to the restaurant now based in Ports Solent as operations director.
His career has seen him work locally at A Bar Bistro, Bistro Montparnasse (now closed), Wickham Vineyard, Mayflower Theatre in Southampton, Becketts. Cold East Mansion (now called Orange Grove Hotel & Gardens) in Segensworth and Natty’s.
He has also worked in prestigious restaurants such as The Clove Club in London, which has two Michelin stars, and Noma in Copenhagen, which has three Michelin stars and has been named the best restaurant in the world four times.
Now back at Relentless, he has been reunited with the restaurant owner Scott Matthews.
Reflecting on Jack’s participation in MasterChef, Scott said: “It is fantastic, it is a great opportunity for him. Jack worked with us when we opened the first Relentless all those years ago in Elm Grove, and he re-joined us again this year as operations director.
“We have seen him in other restaurants and flourish, he has worked in a couple of rosettes and Michelin star restaurants and has learnt a lot and worked in a couple of other local brands. Now he is helping to launch us in a different direction as we look at going more upmarket with our food and have a reduced menu.”
The first episode of MasterChef: The Professionals series 19 airs on BBC One at 8pm on Tuesday, November 3 with Jack looking to impress judges Marcus Wareing and Monica Galetti. The show will run for seven weeks with three episodes a week leading up to the grand finale on Friday, December 18. Across the seven weeks, the weekly three episodes will be available on BBC iPlayer every Monday.