A LAKES chef who survived a horrific car accident early in his career is determined to succeed after making it through to the final of a prestigious cooking competition.

Peter Turnpenny, 25, head pastry chef at Gilpin in Windermere is preparing to face the judges as he takes part in the 2017 Roux Scholarship.

This world-famous competition offers young chefs the opportunity of a lifetime to train anywhere in the world under the tutelage of a Michelin-starred chef.

Mr Turnpenny, originally from Ashford in Kent, dreamt of being a professional chef since he was a young boy.

He said: "From a young age I've always wanted to be a chef. The opportunity came up at school to go into work experience at a local restaurant. I did it and loved it, then I got an part-time job at the same place."

Mr Turnpenny is the only North-based chef to make it through to this year's regional finals of the scholarship.

He will go head to head against 17 others on March 23, preparing food for four top chefs who share 10 Michelin stars between them.

After getting his first job in the food business at the age of 15, Mr Turnpenny attended college in Ashford, getting the necessary qualifications to progress in the industry.

Further work experience at college placed him in a local hotel, where for the first time he found himself preparing food for hundreds of people every night.

In 2008, after gaining his GNVQ qualification, he was taken on full time.

After three years in Ashford, where Mr Turnpenny rose through the kitchen hierarchy, eventually becoming sous chef, he moved on.

He said: "The opportunity arose for me and I moved to Lucknam Park in Bath - that was a one Michelin star restaurant."

The ambition to be the best in the business has always pushed Mr Turnpenny forwards. His desire was always to be the recipient of a Michelin star by the time he was 30.

"I did that last year," he said. "I smashed that target with Hrishikesh Desai at Gilpin."

It has not always been easy for Mr Turnpenny. In 2012 he was hit by a car as he left the restaurant in Bath.

He broke both his ankles, his shoulder, smashed his knee and suffered spinal damage he still lives with today.

Experts said it would take two years for him to get back into the kitchen, but through sheer determination he made it back within a year.

Mr Turnpenny said: "The doctors said I would be out of work for two years, I laughed at that."

In July 2015, he made the move to the Lakes, taking up a job at the Gilpin Hotel and Resturant in Windermere.

He knew that his friend of seven years, Mr Desai was looking for a new chef, and he felt it was time to make the next step in his career.

After settling at Gilpin, Mr Turnpenny applied for the scholarship, and based on the merit of his application was accepted as a contestant.

He said: "I put the paperwork in in January and then I got a phone call last week saying that I'd been accepted."

In the regional final, contestants will be given two hours to prepare rainbow trout and mussels for a panel of judges.

The panel will consist Michelin-starred chefs Michel Roux Jr, Alain Roux, Brian Turner and Anne-Sophie Pic.

Mr Turnpenny said: "These are the godfathers of cooking.

"When I'm there I'll be in my own head space. I'm really excited and happy but getting closer and closer, nerves are starting to set in."

If Mr Turnpenny is successful at the regional final next week, he will go on to the national final, held in London in April.