A keen cook stepped up to the plate by taking part in BBC TV’s MasterChef competition.

Unfortunately, the mouth-watering dish of guinea fowl with madeira and clementines was not quite enough to see Morag Welham through to the next stage of the show.

Mrs Welham, of Martin’s Close, Tenterden, who works as the KM Group’s business manager at the head office in Larkfield, saw her French rustic style get her through the invention test, which gave her the chance to test her skills during lunch-time service at a top London restaurant.

Really tough

But her two-course choice of guinea fowl with madeira and clementines and spices on wilted spinach with crushed new potatoes, followed by steamed sponge pudding with ginger, creme anglaise and rhubarb, was not enough to impress judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace.

While they praised her technical skill, they felt she had put too many ingredients on her plate.

“It was hell on legs,” said Morag.

“The professional kitchen was really tough.

“I spent two and a half hours cooking scallops – and I have not cooked one since. It was very hot as it was the summer.”

She said: “It wasn’t very glamorous – and certainly shows that to take up cooking as a profession needs guts.

“The timed two-course menu was a rush – my menu was too complicated really – but I did get it done on time.”