THE mum of a Grimsby chef who has made it through to the latter stages of a TV cookery competition says he owes his success to sheer drive and determination.
Former Grimsby Institute student Tom Morell, 25, sealed his place in the semi-finals of Masterchef: The Professionals with an assured demonstration of his culinary skills on Thursday night's show, as reported on www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk.
And the talented cook, who started his career making sandwiches at the Blue Wave Cafe in Cleethorpes, now works in Geneva preparing meals for the directors of luxury watch maker Rolex.
And his proud mum Susan Rice, who has been watching the programme from her home in North Somercotes, said his achievements should act as an inspiration for other young people to follow their dream.
Recalling how he once drove all the way to Bath on a Lambretta to secure a job at a Michelin-starred hotel, she said: "Being a chef is all he ever wanted to do and we are all very proud of him. He has always worked the hours and he has got such a lot of drive.
"It just shows what you can achieve if you put your mind to it and are determined. If anyone has got a passion for something, just do it. Tom has done it all off his own bat."
Susan, 49, who runs the Ark Animal Rescue Home at Donna Nook, says the former Humberston School pupil discovered his passion for cooking as a teenager.
"I worked long hours at the vets as a single mother and he started cooking at home. There were lots of experiments and messy kitchens to come home to!
"We used to bake on a Sunday and he used to help his brother bake. We did some bread-making once and he left it in the conservatory and the cat got in and ate it! He was always trying different things."
Tom trained at the Grimsby Institute and got his first job at the Blue Wave Cafe before moving onto Millfields in Grimsby and then the Kingsway Hotel in Cleethorpes.
He spent six years in Bath working for various hotels and restaurants before taking up his current role in Geneva.
Susan said Tom intends to come back to the UK when his short-term contract in Switzerland is over, and believes his appearance on Masterchef should help him find a job quickly.
She admitted that Tom did not inherit his skills as a chef from her, but joked: "His dad was half Italian so it probably came from him."
Family members have been gathering round the TV to follow Tom's progress on the show, with his grandmother Pauline Rice, sister Laura Morrell and brothers Jack Sharman and Oliver Morrell all eager for his next appearance on December 4.
Susan said: "We have got used to seeing his face on the television and he has done really, really well.
"Every time the doors open it's like the X Factor. It is really exciting."
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