A TALENTED chef who used to be a builder has made it to the quarter finals of MasterChef: The Professionals after battling with the creme de la creme of the culinary world.

Ben Addems, from Eastbourne, is in with a chance of winning the prestigious TV title after overcoming a serious illness.

The 34-year-old chef currently works at the Michelin-starred Restaurant Interlude in Horsham.

Judges were underwhelmed by Ben’s pea risotto on the BBC Two programme on Tuesday night, but blown away by his Jerusalem artichoke bavarois topped with raspberry jelly.

Ben said: “I’m massively proud of myself.

“I’ve only been a chef for three and a half years. Before that I was a builder. I got ill, I got Crohn’s, so I was in hospital for six months. I kind of had to decide – did I want to go back to being a builder or did I want to want to do something that I love?

“The hours are strenuous and you live off coffee basically and passion, but I’ve never regretted my decision. I’m not here to muck about. I’m going to put everything into it and see what happens.”