Lee was quizzed by Professional Cookery Level 3 students during his visit. A student asked him what it was like to return to see his old lecturers and another student asked if he could pass on any advice to them.
He said: “This is the place it all started for me… To come back after what I’ve done in my career so far and speak to the next group of chefs, to see you all coming through, it’s really exciting. And a bit emotional, to be honest. I’m happy to be back.
“The tutors and lecturers here are incredible and the knowledge they have between them is insane. Absorb this place like a sponge. Listen as much as you can. What you do at college prepares you for your career.
“I have worked around the world, with different cuisines and cultures, but the fundamental skills you learn here will take you forward. Take your classical French cooking skills. These can be transported across other cuisines. And when you come out of here and even after you get your qualification, don’t think you are done with learning. It’s just the beginning of your journey.”
Lee told the students that winning the competition has given him opportunities to travel around the world but his dream is to build a culture around street food in the UK.
During his time in the MasterChef: The Professionals competition he impressed the judges with his style of modern European and Asian cuisine. His winning menu for MasterChef’s trio of judges, Gregg Wallace, Monica Galetti and Marcus Wareing, was fuelled by his Far Eastern influences.
The winning menu included:
- Starter: Singapore chilli crab, a Mantou deep-fried bao topped with crab, chilli oil, nashi pear, lime juice, salted egg yolk and Sichuan pepper, topped with a squid ink tuile, served with a soft shell crab tempura and a basil cream with crab and chilli oil.
- Main course: A chicken breast stuffed with chicken thigh mince, sesame oil, spring onion, ginger and Thai pandan leaves; choy sum, a Chinese cabbage blanched in garlic, chilli and oyster sauce; a red chilli sambal sauce, chicken-infused steamed rice with garlic and ginger, and a chicken and pandan leaf broth.
- Dessert: Smoked hay treacle tart filled with yuzu curd toasted breadcrumbs, pickled ginger, clotted cream ice cream, Japanese shiso leaves, shiso crumb and smoked hay butter tuiles – a dish which earned him praise for his pastry-making, flavour and East-meets-West style.
University College Birmingham is renowned for providing specialist vocational training for students looking to enter the culinary industry, with world-class facilities and expert tuition provided on a range courses.