The event aims to identify and recognise the best young chefs in the world and celebrate the talents that will lead the evolution of the gastronomic sector. Marcus beat nine other chefs at the UK final last year for a chance to compete in the Grande Finale.

The 26-year-old chef currently works at Hide and Fox in Hythe but he will start a new role at the Vanderlyle restaurant in Cambridge in the coming weeks.

At UK competition final, which took place at CORD in London, Marcus won over the renowned jury including Sat Bains and Claude Bosi, with his signature dish, Celeriac, Apple and Mushroom. It’s a dish he’s been perfecting over the years and one he chose to put forward to show how delicious vegetables can be.

He commented: "It feels very surreal representing the UK at the grand finale. It's been a great experience so far, preparing for the competition by working closely with Lisa Goodwin-Allen on my signature dish ahead of the next stage in Milan."

To help Marcus on his journey to the Grand Finale in Milan, he has been assigned Michelin-starred chef Lisa-Goodwin Allen, as a mentor who has been providing him with guidance on how to improve his signature dish and support him in his preparation for the international finals.

Stefano Bolognese, San Pellegrino international business unit director, said: “We launched the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Competition in 2015 to nurture the future of gastronomy by discovering young talents from all over the world. The number of applicants for this fifth edition alone – over 4,000 globally – has confirmed the value of the project.

“The competition is also a pathway to the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy, a global community – more than 2,000 talented chefs strong – with the aim to engage chefs through a series of activities designed to inspire, connect and educate. The Grand Finale, held in October, is a final step and a key moment in our discovery process. San Pellegrino wishes good luck to all the 15 finalists.”