MASTERCHEF winner Claire Lara has returned to her Wirral roots to run the first restaurant she ever worked in.
The 31-year-old will be offering her culinary expertise at The Riverhill, Oxton, where she fell in love with cooking as a teenager.
Claire, who was crowned the winner of Masterchef: The Professionals in 2010, has joined forces with hotel owner Nick Burn to breathe new life into the business.
Now Claire and chef husband Marc are looking forward to putting together a new menu and making full use of local produce.
Claire, who is originally from Moreton, said: “I have always been interested in cooking and have known what I wanted to do from a young age - I would go to my nan’s house and have some delicious food and wonder how it was made.
“It is great to come here because Wirral is a lovely part of the country to be in and I’m back where I started now but the difference is that this is 16 years later and I have a lot of experience behind me.
“We’re slowly developing the menu and we are hoping to have a fixed-price option where there will be simple meals and an a la carte with slightly more adventurous dishes. The restaurant has some very loyal customers and we certainly don’t want to alienate anyone.”
Following her victory as the first woman to win the BBC2 competition, Claire was given the opportunity to cook for the Queen during her visit to New Brighton last December.
She worked with a team of qualified chefs and young apprentices to create a four-course meal including the dessert with which she won the competition.
Mum-of-one Claire said: “It was a huge honour to be asked to cook for the Queen but it was also very nerve-wracking and stressful at the same time. After the meal, they said they really enjoyed it and the Queen ate it all which she never usually does apparently.
“I asked some students to help me during the event and that is definitely something I want to get involved with more.
"We have already taken on one apprentice here at the Riverhill and I’m hoping we can give more people opportunities because it is a great trade to have – people are always going to eat!
“I was given the chance all those years ago so I really want to give something back and do that for someone.”
Mr Burn, who also owns the Riverhill’s sister hotel The Grove House, Wallasey, said he was thrilled to work with Claire again.
He said: “When the opportunity came for us to work together, I thought it was a fantastic idea. I am very much looking forward to the project.”
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