MasterChef champ Dan to light up Christmas for locals
Rising star could not refuse big switch-on after telly triumph
REIGNING MasterChef: The Professionals’ champion Dan Lee has been invited to turn on the Jewellery Quarter Christmas lights and giant new ‘diamond ring’ attraction for 2022.
The modest star said the engagement was something he could not turn down after a year of ‘brilliant opportunities in a whirlwind year’.
Lee’s experiences have included being flown to Los Angeles to cook for Elton John’s Oscars’ Viewing Party. Except when he got there he discovered the legend had gone to Nebraska to play another gig.
“I’ve been able to travel the world since I won MasterChef: The Professionals and go to places like Singapore, France and LA,” Lee said.
“But I might never get the opportunity to switch on the lights in the Jewellery Quarter ever again so I had to say yes. I love living in Birmingham city centre and it’s still my dream to have a restaurant there.”
In an exclusive interview, Lee, now 30, said after the fun of taking on new challenges it was almost now time to start to re-emphasise what he’s always done – and that’s to keep learning just like the days when he was a young student at UCB.
“I’ve done so much in the past year I’ve burned myself out a couple of times,” he admitted.
“Even though this year has been so much fun, it has also been surreal and a bit of a whirlwind. I’ve done pop-ups, private dining and so on. Now I want to take stock, keep looking for either the right street food van opportunity or a restaurant site and see where that takes me.”
MasterChef: The Professionals returned for a new series last Wednesday, with new judge Anna Haugh joining Marcus Wareing and Gregg Wallace.
As the current reigning Masterchef: The Professional Champion, invitations have been flowing in Lee’s direction and, instead of trying to invite himself to different kitchens, he’s met top chefs in a different way. And that will be the key to his future learning once there’s a new TV champ.
“To be honest, I’m quite looking forward to that time so that I can concentrate on what I am about,” he said.
“At first you want to say yes to everything and all of these new opportunities but then you are in danger of losing the learning aspect and the whole point of what you do to meet new chefs, learn from them and to create new dishes.”
The Jewellery Quarter BID is promising its lights will be bigger and better than ever with a giant ‘diamond ring’ illumination one of the stars of the show. There will also be two 30ft Christmas trees and 70 illuminated window displays.
The big switch-on will take place outside The Big Peg from 5pm to 8pm on Thursday, November 17, with Lee switching on the lights at 6pm.
He will then be cooking and serving small and large plates at a public pop-up at 1000 Trades on Frederick Street.
I might never get the opportunity to switch on the lights in the Jewellery Quarter ever again so I had to say yes..
Dan Lee